A Train of Thoughts
by Elenion Anaar
Summary: COMPLETE An unexpected train wreck and the tale that follows pull together one of the sweetest couples: Ryou Bakura and Serenity. It also tests the bonds of friendship of the entire gang. RyouSerenity
1. It Began On The Train

**A TRAIN OF THOUGHTS**

_Elenion: Ok. I don't own anything Yu-Gi-Oh related. I think that's kinda obvious but whatever... I hope you all like my first shot at Ryou/Serenity. Personally, I think that they could be a truly adorable couple if they were given the chance._

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**CHAPTER 1: It Began On The Train**

Ryou Bakura sighed looking out of the train's window. He had to squint to make out the blurred shapes of trees through the sleet bashing against the train. The white-haired British boy winced as a lightning bolt split the sky with the ominous thunder coming only seconds after it.

This whole ride had been a nightmare so far. It was a wonder that the train was still taking the risk of traveling in a storm as unforgiving as this one. In fact, had the storm been predicted in advance, Bakura was sure that anyone with half a brain would have waited a day to let the storm clear before traveling. Of course, nobody had known, so here he was...

The boy sighed again and leaned his head back against the seat tiredly. This was such a horrible experience. All he wanted was to see a familiar face... Bakura attempted to will himself to sleep, which is much more easily said than done. But he was determined and had just begun to doze off when lightning cracked nearly right overhead, causing everyone to scream from the deafening noise.

Bakura groaned. He stared determinedly at the seat in front of him, wishing that he was back in Domino right at that moment.

A voice came on over the intercom. It was crackling because of the great age of the train, but the words were still audible:

"_Attention passengers, we are having minor difficulties with the electricity of the last three cars. Anyone seated in the last three cars, please move up to a different car. This is just a precaution. The staff may remain where they are to help guide the repair workers. Thank you."_

Bakura settled back into his seat. He was in the second car from the front, so he had nothing to worry about. But he couldn't help it. Had that last bolt actually hit the train? And how serious were these "difficulties" with the electricity?

Looking around, Bakura saw that the other few people in his car thought much along the same lines. He closed his eyes. Why couldn't there be someone he knew?

"Excuse me, sir, is this seat... oh! Bakura!"

Bakura's eyes snapped open in surprise to see a petite auburn-haired girl standing next to his aisle carrying a duffel bag. Speak of the devil- hadn't he just wished that someone he knew would appear?

"Serenity," replied Bakura in his British accent, "I had no idea that you were on this train." He smiled warmly at her as moved over one seat so she could sit next to him.

"Same here." She pulled her blue jacket closer around her. "I see we're stuck on the train-from-hell together then."

Bakura laughed. "Guess you're right there, old girl." This was indeed a very hellish trip. "Do you have any idea what's wrong with the last three cars?"

Serenity brushed a few strands of hair out of her sparkling brown eyes absently. "Well, I can't really say. I think that last lightning actually hit though, because suddenly the lights began to flicker really violently, and the heater began to spark..."

It was just as he'd thought. Why did it have to happen that he was riding the ancient train when a storm hit?

As Bakura was lost in his thoughts, Serenity rummaged through her duffel bag. It took her a few moments, but eventually she brought out what she was looking for- a deck of cards. "Hey, you wanna play?"

Bakura glanced over and immediately shook his head. "No thanks. I don't feel up to a game of Duel Monsters right now..."

Serenity giggled, causing Bakura to raise an eyebrow. What had he said?

"No, silly," She turned the deck over to reveal a four of clubs. "This is a _regular _card deck."

Bakura chuckled to himself. "I see. I guess I've been hanging around Yugi and Joey too long..."

Serenity's eyes sparkled as brown met brown. "So, you know how to play Speed?"

At that moment, their attention was redirected to the intercom once again:

"_Attention passengers, if you have not already evacuated the last three cars, do so now. Also, any staff or repairmen must leave the last three cars immediately."_

There wasn't even the usual "thank you" tacked onto the end.

Bakura and Serenity exchanged worried glances. Neither could help but think that perhaps this was more serious than they had first thought. They also couldn't help wondering what on earth that bolt of lightning could have done to the train.

Looking out the window, Bakura realized that the rain was beating down on the windows even harder then before without any sign of it letting up. A shiver ran up his spine. This couldn't be a good circumstance to be in...

Serenity was observing the people in the car. Some of the people she recognized from her own car. They were all obviously worried and uptight. One woman was clutching a rosary close to her and muttering a prayer under her breath. Then Serenity felt a hand take the forgotten deck of cards from her's. She looked over to see Bakura shuffling the cards.

He smiled reassuringly. "So... Speed it is."

They both played for a little while, although they were both distracted by their own thoughts as well as the bang of the thunder outside. They both tensed as the intercom came on again, but this time the voice sounded panicky:

_"The fourth car from the end must evacuate immediately! I repeat, the fourth car from the end must evacuate to a car closer to the front!!!"_

Everyone in the car stared in horror at the intercom as if it had just uttered a multitude of profane comments. No matter what, they simply couldn't take their eyes off the intercom that had at one time been cool, calm, and collected. How had the problem from the last three cars spread? Was that even possible?

"Wh-what do you think is the matter?" Serenity whispered.

Bakura looked at the petite beauty. Her hands were clasping the armrests of the chair so hard that her knuckles were turning white. He couldn't help thinking that he felt the way she looked. He breathed deeply, wishing he could think of some comment that could comfort her. But no, he decided to just be truthful:

"I don't know, Serenity. I really don't know."

Unbeknownst to them, the old rusty rods connecting the wheels of the train were beginning to crack apart. If anyone had been witness to it, they would have marveled at the speed at which the rods cracked. And the electricity in the last four cars was becoming more of a problem than anyone would have imagined...

Bakura looked at his hands, then he studied the plaid sleeves of his jacket as if they interested him. This whole thing was really beginning to escalate into what seemed like disaster. He had no idea how true that thought was...

_Crack!_

Serenity's hand grasped Bakura's at the sharp sound from slightly beneath them. She took a deep breath, and she tried to convince herself that it was nothing. But she couldn't.

_Creeakk! Crack! Pop! Crack! _

There was a serenade of horrifying sounds from all over the car. Everyone's breath was held- not knowing what to expect. Bakura's grip tightened slightly on Serenity's small hand. Then, all at once, it happened:

The rods beneath the train snapped completely, and with a grinding sound, the fast-moving train was pulled off the track. At the same time, whatever the lightning had done caused ripples of electricity to pulse through the entire train. Everything began to malfunction and sparks were sent flying. The last three cars went up entirely in sickening dancing flames.

The whole world was spinning- screaming people clutched anything they had to them, the woman with the rosary softly began to cry, sparks, rumbles... It was all so insane... Bakura felt the train sliding, grinding, then it turned completely on its side. Everyone was thrown against the wall. Serenity' hand was wrenched from his grip. Then a horrible realization sunk into everyone's minds: The train was actually sliding down a hill at an amazing speed.

"SERENITY!" Bakura ignored a throbbing pain in his forehead. He just prayed that she was all right. "SERENITY!"

"Ba-bakura?"

The white-haired teen followed her stuttering answer and found the small girl, covered in small scratches. Her brown eyes were wide and looked slightly dazed as if she didn't understand what was happening. Bakura grasped her arms tightly, not wanting to be separated from her again.

That horrible grinding noise began to escalate into a roar... The train was sliding faster and faster down the hill.

Faster, faster, faster, faster... _BANG!_

Without knowing what was happening, Bakura and Serenity were thrown across the train car. A shower of broken glass... then they were both soaring through the air. Once again, they were separated. Bakura saw the ground rise to meet him. He braced for impact. Then it came. He gasped for breath as the wind was knocked out of him. He rolled a little bit and then stopped.

His breath didn't seem to want to come back. Black was enclosing at the edges of his vision. Red was running into his left eye from his forehead. And then there was that constant rain...

Was he forgetting something? Then it hit him: Serenity! Painfully, he raised himself on one elbow trying to catch a glimpse of her cinnamon hair. There! Not too far on his left. She was on her side not facing him.

A groan escaped his lips as he forced his aching body to crawl over to her. Everywhere seemed to be on fire. He touched her arm lightly.

Serenity groaned as she lifted her head to look at him. "Should we go back to the train?" she whispered, shifting herself into more of an upright position.

Bakura fought the overwhelming blackness that was trying to blur his senses. He glanced at the flaming wreckage. Shaking his head, he replied, "No, love. That's not the best idea."

Serenity smiled slightly. "Has anyone ever told you how nice your accent is?"

The British boy nodded with a return smile gracing his face, before he winced from a throb from his forehead. He looked up at the train again, watching the flames dance over the overturned cars. There was a horrible feeling stirring in his gut, and he couldn't really figure out why.

Wait a minute- why were the flames moving? What was there on the train that could fuel the fire enough to make it spread? It was such an old train... what could there be? '_Think, Bakura, think.'_ He thought to himself. Again, he cursed the blackness that was still struggling to take hold of his mind.

Bakura's eyes widened and he gasped. It was such an old train that it actually had gas lighting.

"Serenity! Oi... Serenity! We have to move, _now_!"

The girl looked in his eyes and must have seen something. Wordlessly, she nodded and grasped his hand firmly. Although it was clear from the way she got to her feet that she too was aching all over, she moved nimbly as would a cat.

They were both on their feet, scrambling through the forest as fast as their pained bodies could take them. Bakura looked over his shoulder and saw the last bit of wall between the flames and the gas pipes literally melt off. This was it.

Without even thinking, Bakura grabbed Serenity's slender torso and held her back to his chest. If anything, at least his body could try to shield the fragile girl from the blast. Serenity felt his heart beating fiercely against her back. He felt her hands grasp his arms, as there was a sickening _BOOM!_

They both sank to their knees as shock waves from the blast sent tremors through the ground. Bakura pulled the young girl even closer to him as a tremendous wave of heat swept over his back. Little bits of glass and shrapnel caused him to hiss and bury his face in Serenity's long, beautiful hair. Ironically, he couldn't help noticing just how wonderful she smelled- like a fresh spring morning after a light sun shower.

Rumbles seemed to last forever, and time seemed to almost stand still as the two figures clutched each other desperately. For many minutes after the last blast subsided the two still knelt together in the rain.

Neither really wanted to breathe, let alone speak. Bakura kept his eyes closed still inhaling Serenity's scent. It was having a calming effect on him, and he felt the blackness begin to recede from his mind.

Slowly, both teens loosened their grips on the other. A bitter wind picked up, and Bakura was reminded of just how sopping wet his plaid jacket and tee shirt had become. He could feel Serenity shivering as she maneuvered her body around so that she could face him. Her deep brown eyes shimmered with worry as he looked at them.

"What should we do?" she whispered barely audibly.

The rain was matting her ginger bangs to her face, and it made her look even more fragile than she did already. Both her arms were crossed over her chest in an attempt to warm herself. Her blue jacket and lilac shirt were soaked through, and Bakura knew that neither of them would last very long in the bitter wind and rain.

He took her hand firmly. "We need to find somewhere to spend the night... far away from..." he glanced at the smoldering wreckage which was barely visible due to the mix of rain, smoke, and waning light.

Serenity nodded, her eyes misty. Somehow, she felt reassured, and she allowed him to help her to her feet. The use of her muscles hurt her, but she showed little sign other than a small wince.

Bakura admired her courage. He knew that most people would have panicked themselves into a nervous breakdown by now. He tried to smile as he read her eyes. She was in pain, he could tell, but mentally she was still very strong and determined. Determination was about the only trait that she and her brother had in common... Despite himself, Bakura chuckled at that thought.

Gently, he led her through the trees. He was doing his best to keep her close and out of the rain. They were in a valley... '_There must be a cave of some type somewhere... There's just got to be... Aha!'_

There was a large overhanging piece of rock that formed a roof-like protrusion from the nearest mountain. Several other rocks were huddled around the edges giving it an almost house-like appearance.

Within a few minutes, Bakura had gathered the few pieces of dry wood he could find and had managed to get a small fire going: "You learn quite a few useful things when you travel around with your father."

Both their jackets were propped on sticks over the fire to dry. They had spent a little while trying to clean out their cuts.

"This is gonna sting a bit..."

Bakura hissed, "Bloody hell... 'A _bit'_?!"

She was cleaning the nasty gash on his forehead with a wet piece of her shirtsleeve. "Well, now the worst is over..." Serenity gently blotted away the blood and applied pressure for a few moments to keep it from bleeding again. "There. You're all set."

Bakura touched the raw skin on his forehead. He heard his stomach grumble and chuckled slightly. "Gracious... My stomach is going to be the death of me."

The auburn-haired girl laughed. "Trust me, I know how you feel." Neither of them had any of their possessions other than the ones that were in their pockets. In other words, they had no food.

Bakura looked at the fire, absorbed in his thoughts.

Serenity watched him closely as the light of the fire flickered in his large, chocolate eyes. His eyes were so sincere... The fire gave a slight orange tinge to his long, white hair.

Suddenly, she looked away and mentally slapped herself. It was rude to stare.

"Do you think tomorrow will be be-e-etter?" As she said the last word, a large yawn escaped her mouth.

Bakura looked at her. "I sure hope so."

Both of them were exhausted and still cold. The events of the day were just catching up with them...

Serenity's eyes began to tear up as she watched the flames. Softly, she choked back a sob. Little did she know that Bakura noticed her sudden despair. Serenity hugged herself to try to keep the emotions from overwhelming her body.

Two strong arms circled around her. She buried her head in the crook of Bakura's neck and inhaled his scent as he rocked her slightly. Then she surrendered to her tears.

"Shhhh. It's ok." Bakura whispered comfortingly as he held her tightly to his chest. Her sobs were racking her small frame horribly, and he could feel her heart beating frantically against his.

Gradually, her sobs turned into small whimpers and hiccups. Somehow, she felt very comforted by Bakura's arms around her. She lifted her head to look at him. Their eyes met.

"Ba-bakura? Wh-what are w-we going t-t-to do? W-we're stranded h-here."

"It's all right, love. I won't let anything happen to you. Ever. That I promise you." He lightly touched her cheek with one of his hands and wiped the tears out of her eyes.

Feeling reassured, she nodded slightly and brushed a few strands of hair out of her eyes.

Bakura searched her eyes. "Let's try to sleep some, then." He made to move away from her, but she caught his arm.

"C-could you stay c-close?" Serenity's eyes pleaded with him.

Bakura's breath caught in his throat. He'd only looked at her a few times in detail before, and each time his heart leapt to his throat. Her auburn hair was like a waist-length waterfall of silk, and her eyes shown with a starry quality. She was so slender and graceful as she moved, and her skin was like that of a porcelain doll. To him, she was perfect: an angel, but like an angel, she had always been off-limits.

"P-please? I'm s-scared."

Bakura nodded. "Of course." Once again, he wrapped his arms around her shivering frame. She snuggled close to his body and buried her head in his chest, and he felt heat rise into his face as he blushed deeply. Moments later, her breath rose steadily- the telltale sign that she was peacefully asleep.

Lightly, Bakura kissed the top of her head, before letting his mind float on air.

For the first time that whole day, he felt unworried and liberated. With Serenity's heart beating against his, he slowly fell asleep thinking that perhaps this disaster had turned into something deeper than he'd imagined.

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_Elenion: Well, first chapter's done! I hope you guys liked it! Please review!_


	2. Hiding In The Shadows

**A TRAIN OF THOUGHTS**

_Elenion: Once again, I don't own anything that relates to Yu-Gi-Oh. And I want to give a very warm "thank you" to everyone who reviewed. I was not expecting reviews that fast! Now for "Review Responses":_

_Catcher of Tears-Yeah, I kinda agree that's it's hard to see Bakura cursing, but I needed to emphasize that point... So it just kinda came out that way._

_Sailor Starlight Girl-Thanks. I like Ryou/Serenity too. I noticed it's not done too often. Do you have any idea why?_

_Lethe Seraph- Well, I'm no engineer (I'm a theatre person), so I don't know if it could happen... but anything's possible, right? You have a really good point there, though. As for explaining why they were there, I tried to answer that in this chapter._

_Fyrise- Yeah, I know that Bakura and Serenity aren't paired up that much. They're so cute together too..._

_SilentAngel014- Wow, thank you so much. I feel really honored. I think Ryou and Serenity are adorable too._

_Elenion: Also, I'm going to apologize in advance for not being able to put in many Japanese phrases due to the fact that I don't really know any. I realized that in the first chapter, my italics didn't work, so I'm trying something different this time._

_-takes deep breath- Ok. Here goes the second chapter..._

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**CHAPTER 2: Hiding In The Shadows**

At the train station, Joey was pacing up and down on the platform in an apparent frenzy. Every now and then, he glanced at his watch before grunting. He glanced at Mai, who was at the moment talking with the man in the information booth. Back at Yugi's house, Yugi and the others had planned a party to welcome Serenity and Ryou Bakura home. Joey wondered if they were on the same train or not...

Irritably, he glanced at his watch again. "Godammit! Two hours late..." Joey leaned out to watch the tracks hoping to see a train approaching. No such luck tonight.

The tall blonde boy nearly jumped out of his skin as a hand touched his shoulder.

"Goodness, Joey. You're so tense." Mai reprimanded slinging her purse over her other shoulder. She rolled her eyes slightly.

"Yeah, yeah... Enough about me. Wha' about da train?"

Mai sighed and brushed some stray blonde hairs out of her face. "Joey..." She didn't want to tell him that the people here didn't know anything.

"Is somethin' wrong? Mai! _Is somethin' wrong?!"_

"Joseph, calm down. They don't know anymore now than they did a half hour ago. They suggest we wait until they make an announcement."

"Ah, hell, Mai- I _can't_ just wait. Dat's my baby sis on dat train!"

Mai rubbed her temples, desperately trying to prevent her oncoming migraine. "I know, Joey. I know, but..." She could feel the impending explosion of Joey's temper.

"You sure dey didn't know _anything_?!"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Well, we'll see about dat." Joey stalked over to the information counter, rudely pushing the two people in front of him out of the way. Mai merely sighed and turned her attention to the train tracks willing a train to appear.

Joey cleared his throat. "Ahem. Look, mista- I gotta talk wit' ya."

The teller looked up and groaned slightly at the sight of the man who had been harassing him for the past two hours. "Sir, I told you... We haven't heard anything from the train in the past few hours."

"And why is dat?"

"Well, apparently, there was some type of storm that brewed out of the blue and that entire region has lost power." '_Please, please, go away...'_ The man thought.

Joey wasn't impressed. "Soooo...?"

The teller was getting quite obviously annoyed, not to mention the people that Joey had pushed out of line. "So, young man, none of the cell phones of the workers on board are accessible at the moment."

"Wait a minute- ya mean dat dere's no communication system built into da train itself?"

This seemed to make the man hesitate. "Well... er... that particular train was not, shall we say, one of our newer models... and, well, it lacks a bit in the technology department, so to speak..."

Angrily, Joey pounded a fist on the table. "I don't believe dis!!!"

Silence.

Joey looked up. "So... why is da train so late, den?"

The teller quite obviously hesitated, probably because of some order that had come from his superiors. He glanced at the person behind Joey and firmly said, "Next!"

"HEY!!" Joey's eyes were practically shooting sparks, "YOU CAN'T DO DAT!!!"

However, the teller was not saved. In fact, the man only looked sternly at the teller and growled, "I was going to ask the same question as this young man, here." He crossed his arms and glared at the hapless teller.

The teller was beginning to sweat. "Look, I'm not supposed to discuss this but..." He paused.

"But what?"

The man looked at his hands. "But the train apparently never crossed its last checkpoint, which it was supposed to cross about four hours ago."

Joey's eyes widened. "And what does dat mean?"

"We're not quite sure. It is possible that the train was forced to stop because of the hazardous weather conditions, or..." The teller's voice trailed off.

"Or what?"

The teller's head snapped up. "Or nothing. Please take a seat, young man. We're taking care of the problem."

Joey was obviously shaken as he walked back to Mai with his hands shoved deep in his pockets. He knew he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but it hadn't been that difficult to follow the teller's train of thought. '_Or it could have crashed.'_

"Find out anything?" Mai asked, although she really wasn't expecting a reaction.

Joey sighed. "Nothin' really, Mai. Just dat da train never crossed it's last checkpoint."

"Hm." She watched Joey's eyes slowly begin to tear up. She hadn't seen him this worried since Serenity's eye surgery.

"Oh, Mai... what am I gonna d-do if somethin' happened ta her?" He was looking away, trying to keep her from seeing his tears. "I've tried all my life ta protect her..." Mai no longer cared about his ego... She hugged him tightly.

The expression on his face was so desperate, so helpless... The last thing she wanted was for the poor guy to have a complete breakdown. "I know, Joey. Don't worry too much. She's gonna be okay."

Joey allowed the blonde beauty to hug him as he cried silently. It didn't take too long for him to calm down. He wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "Your right, Mai. I'm prolly overreactin'. I bet dat everythin's fine."

"That's my Joey." Mai released him and they both walked to the edge of the platform, to look for the train. It took them a few minutes to realize that it had slowly begun to rain. "Strange... It was clear a minute ago..."

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Ryou Bakura came into the waking world wondering what on earth he was doing there. One throb from his forehead sent all the memories crashing down into his mind. The rain, the crack, flying through the window, the blast... All his muscles ached.

He moaned slightly. Fearing to open his eyes, he took a deep breath. A spring-like smell came flooding into his mind, which seemed to bring a calming sensation. It was a familiar feeling... Then he felt her heart still beating against his. Serenity!

Carefully, Bakura opened his eyes and looked at the sleeping girl. They were both still holding one another, as they had been the other night. He was surprised that neither of them seemed to have moved during the night.

Silently, he studied her. Her face was so peaceful in her sleep and she had a slight smile on her face. It was most likely that she was in the midst of a nice dream, and Bakura wished that he were too.

He gently unwrapped his arms from around her, trying not to wake her up. Her eyes flickered open.

"Bakura?" she asked sleepily. One hand rubbed her eyes as she yawned slightly.

"Morning," he grinned, "I'm afraid we're going to have to scavenge for breakfast."

"Mmmm... Oh, what fun..." Serenity muttered sarcastically as she got her bearings. She lightly massaged her arms. "Ugh... everything's achy."

"I guess that's just one of the wonderful perks of being thrown through a train window," Bakura laughed darkly while Serenity giggled.

"I can't tell you how much I would give for a waffle and a glass of orange juice right now..." Serenity painfully got to her feet and stretched groaning. "How's your forehead?"

"Fine, I suppose," the white-haired boy replied absently as he looked around. He thus jumped slightly when the small girl grabbed his arm, lightly pivoting him to face her.

The fiery redhead gently brushed away his white bangs and examined the cut. "Mmm. You're right. It's fine... Not wonderful, but at least it's not infected."

Bakura was surprised at the amount of concern he was receiving. "What about you? Are you all right?"

She shifted her eyes to his and felt heat rise to her face as he searched her eyes. "Erm, yes... I'm fine," she looked at her shoes. "You were hurt worse than I was."

He nodded, but his concern hadn't lessened. Why was he so worried? Bakura didn't know, and tried to brush it off. He turned his attention instead to the surroundings outside of the small overhang.

The pouring rain had ceased for the moment. It had been reduced to a light sprinkle that looked more like a mist, but there were still dark clouds threatening to send another torrent of water upon the valley. Silently, Bakura cursed the weather. It was because of the weather that he and Serenity were in this mess.

"Here you go!" Serenity threw Bakura his plaid jacket, which he caught and immediately put on. Although the fire was only a shadow of its former roaring glory, his jacket was still pleasantly warm. "Let's get going. I'm hungry."

Bakura nodded in consent. "I concur," he said jokingly. Serenity just rolled her eyes and laughed.

All in all, it wasn't that bad of a day considering their present situation. At least the rain had stopped (if only temporarily). As they walked steadily north, their conversation wandered aimlessly. They discussed Duel Monsters, the conceited grammar teacher, European history (which- amazingly- they found that they both liked), rock music, and various other strange or witty subjects.

Bakura fingered his Duel Monsters deck, which was in his pocket. "You don't play, then?"

"No," Serenity answered before thinking it over. "Well, I played once, but that was because the guy forced me to..."

"Forced you?"

"It's a bit of a long story..." Serenity absently thought of the weird times that most of the gang had spent in the strange virtual world.

"I see." Bakura thought for a moment, "You know, it's strange that Joey's sister doesn't play Duel Monsters."

At that, Serenity giggled. "Oh tell me about it... Everyone thinks that I was adopted or something."

Bakura gave her a fake surprised look. "You mean you weren't?"

The slender girl laughed and lightly punched his arm. "Oh, you..." She looked at him strangely. "Why is it that I never really got the chance to talk to you before?"

The teen's brow furrowed. "You know, love, I don't know."

"Me neither. I guess one thing and another just seemed to always get in the way..."

"Primarily Joey..." Bakura joked softly, causing Serenity to chuckle.

"Well, yes, Joey is very protective."

"Paranoid is more like it."

Serenity laughed and then with a catlike motion tackled him. Bakura was caught by surprise and both of them went tumbling down a small hill through the wet leaves. They landed laughing in a tangle at the trunk of a tree.

"What was that for?" Bakura stood up, brushing some leaves off his jeans.

Serenity remained sitting and looked up at him with a playful expression. "I dunno."

Bakura sighed and offered his hand to help her up. She thought:_ 'He's so polite...'_

Once she was on her feet she looked around and realized just how far they had rolled. They were now near another wall of the valley.

"Let's continue along this wall. I have the feeling we may find something..." Bakura said, before glancing again at the clouds, which had turned a deeper shade of gray. A downdraft had started, and he couldn't help but notice that the misty sprinkle seemed to have gotten more violent.

Serenity nodded, her eyes widening at the sound of not-so-distant thunder. Slowly she swallowed and she wrapped her hand in his to reassure herself that he was still there.

Bakura looked in her chestnut eyes, and gave her hand a squeeze. '_Her hand fits so perfectly in mine...' _He thought.

Reassured, they both continued their hike. The rain was picking up, and Bakura worried about just how tired Serenity was... They began to talk again- this time thinking of strange circumstances.

"Okay, I've got one," Serenity giggled lightly, trying to be optimistic although her jacket was beginning to get soaked through. "Would you rather have the ability to fly or become invisible?"

Bakura thought for a second. "Fly."

"Me too. I've always wanted to fly- to defy gravity." Serenity stared wistfully at the sky, wishing to herself that it would become blue.

"My turn," Bakura grinned, "All right, would you rather be forced to dye your hair neon green or get your tongue pierced?"

Serenity wrinkled her nose in such a cute way that Bakura had to chuckle. "Hmph. I'd have to go with dying my hair green..." She touched her waist-length hair protectively. "Okay... Hmmm. Aha, would you rather sacrifice your GPA and see a rock concert or stay home studying and maintain your current GPA?"

Bakura thought about it. "Well, seeing as how I have a 4.0, I think I'd have to skip the concert."

"You know, me too... Joey thinks I'm some type of freak of nature for having a 4.0 GPA."

However, eventually, the conversation returned to the previous day. A bit of a lull occurred in the conversation. They were both engulfed in the horrible memories of glass and smoke. Both were hesitant to break the silence, but finally Bakura took a chance:

"So... where did you go?"

The sweet girl looked up. "Huh?"

"Why were you on the train?"

"Oh," Serenity frowned, and answered in an almost mechanical voice, "I was visiting some relatives."

Bakura waited, somehow sensing that this wasn't all she was going to say. He was surprised when another lull occurred, and he glanced at her to see if he should just let the subject drop. What he saw gave him a bit of a shock.

The petite girl seemed to be having an emotional struggle. Her brow was knitted, and her free fist was clenched while her other hand was clutching his hand tightly. Her eyes, which were usually so cheery and sparkling, were icy and cold. Had Bakura not known better, he would have thought that he was looking at a different person altogether. When she finally spoke, it was in a halting, choked manner- a manner that was halfway between tears and suppressed rage:

"I was visiting them, because... Because my... my dad... h-he got out... out of j-jail at the... the b-beginning of the s-summer..." She looked straight ahead as if she was seeing something he wasn't.

Again, she paused, and Bakura was at a loss for what to do. Comfort her? Pursue the subject?

Serenity took a gasping breath, and then continued. "S-so when he got out... he... he..." Brushing some hair from her face, she touched a scar above her right ear as if it still hurt. "He... I ... saw him the day he g-got out... And after... after that, J-joey thought that I... that I should stay with my aunt until..." She swallowed down tears and rage, "Until he was g-gone again... Because... Because h-he isn't s-safe..."

There was an icy look in her eyes, which conveyed so many emotions, Bakura couldn't even hope to decipher them all- fear, anger, pain...

Deep in Serenity's mind, she saw the whole encounter for the second time:

"_Joey?" Serenity walked into the apartment, hearing the noise of someone in the kitchen. "Joey, is that you?"_

_Getting no response, she walked into the kitchen and looked around. There was no one there. Then, there was a footstep behind her, and, suddenly, she was grabbed roughly by her hair. She was flying, now... She hit the wall and slid to her knees. She then turned to see the man that had made her childhood a living hell. _

"_Y-you!" _

"_Me." The strong blonde man laughed- a laugh that was strongly tainted by the mind-numbing alcohol flowing like fire through his veins. "I have a score to settle with you... And no big brother is here to take it for you this time."_

_Serenity was ashamed to feel tears come to her eyes. Despite her rage, she was still afraid of this man. "I- I'm n-not afraid of y-y-you." She hissed rather unconvincingly._

_Again, that laugh... "Well, kitten, we'll see about that." He grabbed a kitchen knife off the table, and a maniacal feeling of thrill coursed through him. The sadistic man advanced on his own flesh and blood. _

_Serenity glanced at the phone, and fought the scream rising in her throat. If she could only call Joey..._

_The evil man threw back his head and positively roared at the sight of his victim. "Feeling helpless, eh, kitten?"_

_An involuntary shiver pulsed through her at the mention of the nickname he had given her. She had earned it by nimbly avoiding his attack and scratching him on the face one night when he had decided to inflict pain on someone. At that time, she had been five years old..._

"_Don't call me 'kitten'." Serenity hissed, but it almost seemed like a plea. _

_The man narrowed his eyes. "Don't tell me what to do, _kitten_." He then leapt at her. She threw herself out of the way, but the knife sliced the right side of her face above her ear and she yelped. It took him a moment to regain his stance, but that was all Serenity needed to leap to her feet and in an ironically cat-like manner, flee out the door clutching her bleeding cut. _

_Her lungs burned and her wound throbbed, but she couldn't stop running... Couldn't stop..._

She regained her senses to feel herself in the warm arms of Bakura. She was staring into a mix of his plaid shirt and his white hair. Her body was being wracked by horrible sobs and a fiery rage pulsed through her as if it had been there since birth. It was a well-concealed animal trying to escape... But his presence soothed her. She looked in his worried eyes, and felt the rage subside. It was in the past now, so why was it affecting her future?

Bakura had heard about Joey's father and the way he used to treat them, but he'd somehow thought that Serenity had been more of a bystander. Judging by her reaction, he had been completely wrong... "I'm so sorry, Serenity." He whispered, half to himself.

She just shook her head and smiled bravely. Her eyes, he noticed, were back to normal. They had lost their icy quality, and were warm once again. "It's not your fault. It's no one's fault... but _his_." There was another moment of silence, in which they both seemed to realize that they were still holding each other. Simultaneously, they both let go and looked away, blushing, with the pretext of examining their surroundings.

"Shall we?" Bakura made a gesture to keep walking.

Serenity nodded and smiled. "So... why were you on the train?"

Bakura sighed inwardly. That train seemed to have more significance in his life than he would ever have thought possible before he'd gone on this trip. "I was visiting my sister, Amane..."

Serenity looked at the white-haired boy with surprise written all over her face. She couldn't help thinking: '_I thought his sister had died in a car accident...'_

Bakura noticed her expression and chuckled. "Oh, when I say that, I mean her grave, love."

Serenity felt a bit of thrill go through her. Every time he called her that she felt so, so, so... there was no real word for it... Was it- '_No, he's just a good friend,' -_She told herself- '_I shouldn't jump to conclusions. Especially when it involves the L-word_.'

But something deep within her was shifting, telling her something quite contradictory to that. Serenity was pulled out of her musings to discover that Bakura was still talking.

"... So my father and I go every year to her grave to, well, pay respects and whatnot." He paused. "I really miss her."

At a loss for words, Serenity thought about what she would feel if Joey died. Probably _helpless..._ "Bakura... I don't know what to say."

The British boy turned his pure brown eyes on her and smiled kindly. "It's understandable. I don't know what anyone would expect you to say, afterall." He then scowled and looked up at the sky. It was really beginning to pour. And- _CRACK!_

The pair jumped at a sudden crack of thunder. Serenity's teeth were chattering slightly in the chilly wind. This was getting so miserable... Bakura knew they needed shelter- and fast. But where?

"Follow me," Bakura grabbed Serenity's hand and they both began to jog along the valley wall. He was hoping to find a cave of some sort or even an overhang like the last time.

"Bakura," Serenity pointed with her free hand to a small waterfall in coming down from the top of the valley. "What if there's..."

"... Something behind the waterfall?" Bakura finished for her, following her train of thought. It was possible, and feeling the sting of hail upon his cheek, he knew that neither of them had much of a choice. "All right, then, let's go."

Cautiously, they maneuvered behind the sheet of water, and there wasn't just a cave, there appeared to be a tunnel.

"This is almost too convenient," Bakura muttered to himself. It was such a perfect hiding place that he was mightily surprised that no one was actually here. Both of them walked slowly through the slippery rock tunnel. It widened into a fair-sized cavern before it narrowed again and continued. Bakura's eyes grew wide. There was a smoldering fire in the center of the cavern. "Serenity, we should go back..."

The redhead swallowed nervously. She knew what the boy was thinking, but where would they go? It really was a horrible choice to make... Damned if you did, damned if you didn't. But they could always find somewhere else to stay, and the chance that the person who had created the fire was some type of criminal was fairly high. "Okay."

Both were about to turn when they heard hurried voices:

"C'mon, man, can't you go any faster?"

"Well, we're outta the rain now, so what's the rush?"

"Will you two shut up?!?!"

Serenity sucked in her breath and held it. They looked at each other, exchanging worried glances. "What do we do?" she mouthed at Bakura.

Bakura was nervous. Those voices sounded anything but friendly. He jerked his head towards the continuation of the tunnel, and without another word, he grabbed her small hand. The two of them dashed back into the shadowy darkness to face none other than an inevitable dead end.

Serenity gasped slightly, her mouth in a cute "o". Her eyes hardened with a brave resolve, as she prepared for what she thought would be an open confrontation with a group of men that she didn't even know.

Meanwhile, Bakura was looking around, and he noticed that the tunnel split into two caverns- one on either side- although the entrances were about at the height of his chest. This was going to call for some maneuvering.

The voices were growing louder...

Without even thinking, Bakura wrapped one arm around Serenity's waist. She blushed deeply at his touch and glanced at him. With a smooth motion, the white-haired teen swooped her up into his arms and couldn't help noticing how light she was. He placed her delicately in the cavern. He nimbly grabbed the ledge and swung his legs up and over.

The voices were now in the cavern. There was a strange echoing quality to their words. Bakura wasn't paying much attention to what the voices were saying. Instead, he was too busy examining the small cavern. It was about four feet deep and five feet wide. Thankfully, both he and Serenity both fit but with little room to spare.

He began to listen to the conversation going on in the large cavern. From the flickering light on the adjacent wall, Bakura assumed that the group had gotten the fire rekindled. They were now talking- well- arguing rapidly. He had obviously been correct when he assumed that they were not the type of people that would welcome in poor travelers.

"I saw the necklace first, Yai," said a deep voice.

"Yeah, but I grabbed it first..." replied a sniveling weasel-like voice.

"So?"

"So if you don't shut the hell up, I'll use this knife of mine and shut you up for good."

At that point, an icy voice cut in: "Silence. Now."

"But boss..."

There was the sharp sound of flesh hitting flesh, which was followed by a yelp and then silence.

Bakura tensed slightly as a hand grabbed his shirt. He turned his brown eyes to look into Serenity's. They were wide and screaming with fear, but the girl had an admirable amount of sense, as she was staying completely silent.

The cold still gripped them both like an evil vice, and her hand was shivering even as it clutched at his blue shirt. He slid his arm over her slender shoulders, and she snuggled up close to him for both warmth and comfort. Her head rested on his collarbone, and her calming scent rushed through his mind. They both stayed in this position in absolute silence, listening with disgust to the men in the unseen cavern.

The icy voice was speaking: "Now I know we have enough loot to raise a fair sum of easy money. We'll split it fifty fifty. I get one half, and you other three get one half."

There was a slight grumble from the other three.

"Are you challenging me?" the icy voice hissed. Silence. "I thought not. But this loot here is more than we could have hoped for."

Bakura raised an eyebrow. Loot from what?

The deep voice decided that the leader had calmed down now: "Yeah, boss. We were real lucky that the train wrecked yesterday. I mean, we would've had to raid about thirty houses to get all this stuff."

Bakura and Serenity both tensed and looked at each other in slight states of shock. They had stolen from the train wreck? What kind of sick people were they?

Bakura fought a fiery rage: '_How could they? What type of cowardly, low-lifes are these men?'_ But luckily his reasoning kicked in right at that moment: '_They're the type that would kill you in a moment if they found you up here...'_

Instead of acting on either impulse, he looked at Serenity who was biting her lip. Their eyes met, and if anyone had been watching, it would have appeared that they both cast a spell on each other. Both collected themselves and merely tightened their grips on each other.

Time meant nothing sitting in the cavern. Hungry and exhausted, the two teens soon found that they couldn't tell whether it was midnight or high noon. Bakura gritted his teeth in frustration. He knew that he and Serenity were both trapped with no conceivable way out other than to wait until the raiders left. He also knew that if they were somehow caught, they had very little defense against these men.

Bakura's eyes hardened. If they even _tried_ to touch Serenity, he wouldn't stop fighting until the last breath had been drawn from his body. Although the British boy had only really known the fiery beauty for a day or so, he felt like he'd known her all his life. He'd promised to protect her, and as he gazed at her, he knew that from that moment on, he always would.

Serenity felt Bakura's eyes on her and looked at him quizzically. There was a little thrilling feeling that wanted to burst through her chest when she met his eyes.

The fragile girl was exhausted. Bakura could tell. However, she was making a valiant effort to stay alert. He gazed down at her, as she was still resting on his collarbone. All his instincts cried out against it but he whispered, "Get some sleep, love. There's no use in the both of us staying up."

Serenity nodded slowly and snuggled a bit closer. Bakura felt heat rise to his face as her nose brushed against his neck and her breath felt warm against his skin. He watched her fall asleep, thinking many things, but mainly he felt an uplifting confusion. Despite the men who might discover them at any moment, Bakura's thoughts dwelt on the sleeping girl curled up against him. His feelings were in a complete maze, and he passed the time wondering just how deep his emotions went.

Minutes- or perhaps they were hours- passed... Bakura had no sense of time anymore whatsoever. He immediately noticed when the conversation died down. Lightly, he touched Serenity's cheek making her eyes flicker open. Holding a finger to his lips, the white-haired boy gestured to Serenity and she understood- the men were sleeping. Now was their chance. And better yet, it was possible they could steal some food on the way out.

Bakura leapt down from the small cavern wincing as his feet made a slight noise when they hit the bottom of the tunnel. He turned and gestured to Serenity, who leapt down gracefully after him. The two flattened themselves against the wall and held their breath. Bakura peaked around the corner of the wall and surveyed the room. Sure enough, the thieves were asleep without even a guard.

He placed his hands on Serenity's shoulders and whispered, "Stay here. When you see me gesture, come after me. If I get caught, stay here and don't give yourself away. No matter what..."

Serenity shook her head. "I couldn't let them hurt you..."

"Don't fret your pretty head over me. Just promise that you won't give yourself away."

She hesitated, then nodded. "I promise."

Cautiously, Bakura maneuvered through the room. He couldn't help feeling guilty as he picked up bags of food and put them in his pocket. But then, he was stealing things that didn't belong to these people in the first place. He turned and gestured to Serenity, holding out his hand for her to grab.

They were free to go... or so it appeared at that moment.

They both now stood in the center of the cavern, and they were now on the opposite side of the fire. It was then that Bakura felt it: the unmistakable feeling of two eyes watching his every move. He froze. Something bad was happening- he could feel it.

His impulses flared into action: Bakura pulled Serenity to his chest and wrapped his arms protectively about her waist, shielding as much of her as he possibly could- just as a wiry man with black hair and yellow-green eyes leapt to his feet and made a grab for Serenity.

The foul man snarled as his prey was grasped from him. The snarl morphed into a hideous, cold laugh. When he spoke, Bakura recognized him as the icy-voiced leader. "It's a pity that you're both so young... especially the little girl." His eyes glared at her hungrily.

Serenity wrapped her arms around Bakura's neck; burying her face in his long, white hair. She was at a loss... she really didn't know what to do other than cling to Bakura.

Bakura felt adrenaline rush through his body. This is what he had prepared himself for- he'd protect her from anything- these men included. Bravery was one thing that the white-haired teen didn't lack, and he knew this contest would call for brain over brawn- something he could easily manage.

The teen clutched Serenity's waist tightly- he'd never let this devil harm this angel- _his angel_. Without even knowing why, Bakura whispered so softly that Serenity could barely hear- "Serenity, love, you are my light in the dark. I won't let them touch you. Not ever."

He would die for her if he had to... and that was one concept that these horrible men could never understand.

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_Elenion: Sooo... how was it? Please review and tell me! Bakura and Serenity are really cute together, don't you think? Sorry, I know it's a bit of a cliffhanger. I promise I'll update soon!!_


	3. Struggles By Firelight

**A TRAIN OF THOUGHTS**

_Elenion:I don't own anything that has to do with Yu-Gi-Oh. Once again, "Review Response Time":_

_AnimeFreakos- Thanks, that's a really great compliment. I'm running behind right now, but I'll be sure to read your stuff. Oh, and I agree with you- Bakura will win his fight..._

_CrimsonEyedAngel99- This was the first Ryou/Serenity fic you've read? Well, I'm glad that you read this then. I know that the couple isn't done very often..._

_Ryou-Lover-2- Sweet, yes, that's probably a nifty word to describe this fic. It's how I think that Serenity and Ryou work best together..._

_Thyrin- "All good", really? Wow. Thanks, that's a great compliment. I just love Ryou- he's such a cool character! I'm sorry to say that I'm not a big yaoi fan, though... It has to be done really well for me to like it, so it's just not really my thing, I guess..._

_Crickett- Thanks a million. It's always wonderful to hear that people like my writing. And, yes, Ryou/Serenity is hard to find... Almost impossible actually..._

_SilentAngel014- Thank you sooooo much for reviewing again!! I love it when people keep tabs on my writing._

_Elenion: I love all of you guys who reviewed! You really inspire me to write more!! Even when my computer keeps deleting my stuff... grumble, grumble..._

_Here goes the third chapter... and can anyone tell me how I can get italics to work?_

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**CHAPTER 3: Struggles By Firelight**

Joey looked up at the storm clouds above him as he sat on the train station bench next to Mai. He was feeling helpless and lost as he looked into the menacing black thunderheads as rain beat down upon the train station's roof. '_So dis is what my lil sis faced on dat train...'_

The tall blonde teen glanced over at Mai. She had fallen asleep, and Joey couldn't blame her. They had been waiting for Serenity's train for six hours now with still no information as to whether the train was on its way or not.

Bored and worried, Joey gazed at Mai. '_She looks so pretty...'_ Joey shook his head. He couldn't let the blonde beauty distract him from his little sister. Serenity needed him.

A voice suddenly came cracking through the loudspeaker, causing the sleeping Mai to wake up with a start:

_"Attention all patrons, the train station will close in 10 minutes. All those awaiting the arrival of 2:50 train, please leave your name, phone number, and the name of the passengers you are awaiting with the information booth. You will be contacted when the estimated arrival of the train is known. We apologize for these unforeseen delays. Thank you."_

Mai rubbed her eyes and yawned. She glanced at her watch. "It's 8:50 already?"

"Yeah..." Joey's temper was boiling over again, "And dis stupid train station must close at 9:00." He banged his fist against the back of the bench causing Mai's eyes to widen.

"Joey, you really need to stop working yourself into a knot." Soothingly, she patted his arm.

The teen took a deep breath. "You're right, Mai, I gotta keep my cool." He ran his hand through his shaggy blonde hair absently.

"Joey, come on. We've got to give them your name."

Joey just sat looking at the train tracks. "My lil sis is out dere, somewheres..."

Internally, Mai felt sorry for the poor guy, but she wasn't about to show it. Instead of being understanding and tender, Mai grabbed Joey by the shoulders and shook him roughly. "Joey! Get on your feet this instant!"

The poor boy just looked at her as if he didn't really see her. "What if somethin' happened ta her and I wasn't dere?"

Gritting her teeth, Mai slapped some sense into him- literally. "JOSEPH WHEELER!!! Stop feeling sorry for yourself, and GET UP! You most certainly are NOT helping your sister by sitting here staring at the train tracks!!!!"

Joey touched his face where it was beginning to turn red. Mai felt a pang of guilt- afterall, he had good reason to be worried. But when Joey looked up, the fire was back in his eyes. "Okay den, Mai. Let's make ourselves useful."

At that moment, a voice came over the intercom again:

_"The train station will close in 5 minutes. Please give your name and contact information to the information desk on your way out."_

Now with renewed hope and self-esteem, Joey and Mai waited in line to give their names. There was a different teller than there had been previously. It was a woman this time of about 60. Her dusty gray hair was pulled back into a painfully tight looking bun. Her lips were permanently pursed as if she had eaten lemons every day of her life.

"Name please?" she asked in a tight voice as she peered at the two teens through her half-moon glasses.

"Joey Wheeler."

The lady looked at the girl next to him. "And you?"

"Mai Valentine... but you should really deal with Joey, not me."

The woman ignored Mai's last comment and, instead, typed those names into her computer database. "Mr. Wheeler, your phone number is...?"

"877-435-9056."

"Mm-hm." Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she kept asking questions and he gave answers. "And who are you waiting for?"

"Serenity Wheeler," he stated then thought of something, "and Ryou Bakura." He didn't really know if Bakura was on the same train as Serenity. They were coming back the same day- and neither had shown up, so it was safe to assume that they were in fact on the same train.

The woman nodded and pursed her lips even more. "Thank you, sir. We will contact you when we have more information." Geez, she sounded like a tape recording... "Have a nice day. NEXT!"

Joey shoved his hands in his pockets as both he and Mai walked to her snazzy little convertible. He sighed loudly thanking the covered walkway for breaking the wet onslaught.

Mai, who was rummaging through her purse for her keys, glanced at the good-looking guy. This wasn't the bull-headed Joey Wheeler she knew. It was almost as if she was looking at someone completely different, and- although she hated to admit it- it broke her heart to see him like this. Mentally, she slapped herself for caring so much. Since when had she thought so much about Joey Wheeler?

"I hope dey call soon..." Joey muttered, looking at his shoes as he walked.

"It's really not worth all this worry."

Joey paused, and looked back at the station, where the lights were going out one by one. "I guess so... but I just can't help thinkin' dat somewheres out dere my baby sista's in trouble."

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Bakura held Serenity closer as the foul murderer advanced upon him. Refusing to back up, the white-haired teen glared with a dangerous fire burning in his usually soft brown eyes. Now, the boy who had never intentionally hurt anyone in his life was inexplicably preparing himself to tare this raider to pieces.

A dragon-like fury was rushing through his veins as he watched the icy man approach. Bakura gritted his teeth as the man whistled lowly, waking up his companions.

The wiry black-haired man glared right back at Bakura expecting to see fear. He was greatly disappointed. Despite being outnumbered and unarmed, this boy stood clutching the ravishing girl with no trace of fear in his features. He switched his gaze to the small girl whose arms were clasped about the boy's neck. She really was a pretty thing...

Bakura felt his rage boil as the horrid man before him gazed at Serenity evilly. Those icy green eyes were watching her every move, making Bakura loath those eyes with an unrivaled passion.

The three other men assembled themselves behind their wiry leader. One looked like a troll, another like a weasel, and the third was stooped and crooked looking. The leader felt reassured in their numbers.

"Come on, boy. I don't have time for you. Just give up."

Bakura glared right into those icy green eyes without flinching. "You must feel awfully empowered when you have three other men to back you up, you coward."

The troll-like one growled deeply but remained silent.

The leader gritted his teeth. If there was one thing he hated, it was being called a coward. He decided not to answer the insolent British boy. "You can't win... but if you keep talking back to me like that, you're really gonna get it."

"Am I?" Bakura was positively burning.

Once more, the leader advanced upon his prey. His eyes flickered over the cinnamon-haired girl causing Bakura's eyes to narrow. "I'll make a deal with you, kid," the man crossed his arms across his chest arrogantly, "You give the girl to me, and you're free to go."

"NEVER!" Bakura practically spat.

This caught the man off guard a bit. He had expected this boy to want to be free... Who wouldn't? Quickly, he recovered his composure and looked into the boy's eyes again thinking that this mere teenager might be more difficult to deal with than he'd anticipated.

Bakura glared at the man, holding Serenity like a long-lost treasure.

The man observed his opponent silently, trying to understand the boy's motives. Why was he defending this girl? How was this one girl worth more to this boy than his own safety?

Smirking evilly, he walked to within an arm's length of the two teens. He could still win this staring contest. Without warning, the man's hand shot in an attempt to wrench Serenity from Bakura's grasp- but Bakura was braced for that. He jerked back and to the side, easily evading the man. Serenity gasped slightly, but she said nothing.

The green-eyed leader threw back his head and laughed insanely. This boy was feeding his fury with his emotions. To the cold-hearted leader, emotions were a deadly weakness. They did nothing but drag you down. He would like nothing more than to make this boy realize his grave mistake.

But the one thing that the leader didn't understand was that emotions were only a weakness to those who didn't understand them. What he saw as a weakness was in fact one of the most powerful inspirations imaginable.

"Breaking your spirit will be fun, boy..."

Bakura didn't grace that comment with an answer. Instead, still watching the icy-eyed leader, he lowered his mouth next to Serenity's ear and whispered, "Stay behind me, and the first chance you get- run."

Slightly startled, Serenity raised her head to look at him. About to protest, she shook her head, but she was interrupted before she could speak.

"Well, kid, what's this stalling for? If it's a fight you want, then let's fight."

Hearing the whip-like voice, Serenity tensed and pulled herself closer to Bakura's chest. She'd seen what gangs could do to people... Involuntarily, the petite girl shivered.

Bakura whispered to her again: "Please, Serenity... Run when you have the chance." He waited for a reluctant nod from the girl clutching his neck, before glaring at the raider with all his might. Everything seemed to happen in the space of a second:

As the leader lunged at the British teen, Bakura swiftly spun Serenity around so that she was safely behind him. The agile Bakura easily evaded the attack while making sure  
Serenity was out of the way.

Surprised, the green-eyed leader hissed and rounded on Bakura again. This kid was fast- he had to remember that... The foul man grinned and ran his hand through his greasy black hair. The boy was trying to protect the girl at the same time, which was an impossible thing to do in an uneven fight.

Bakura waited, watching the man like a hawk. He saw the muscles tense... and, sure enough, the leader lunged once more. Nimbly, Bakura sidestepped. However, the raider continued his lunge past the white-haired teen, going for the girl this time. It was a cheap move, but since when had he fought fairly?

What the raider hadn't been anticipating was the strength of the teenage boy. Not only did the boy have more muscle than he thought, this kid was fast and his mind worked quicker than a mousetrap. Bakura had seen the intentions of the murderer immediately. Grabbing the back of the raider's jacket, Bakura yanked the man back. The leader yelled as he lost balance, and the so-far underestimated teen threw the stumbling leader into his three cronies.

Serenity stood with a look of horror on her face. This fight had really begun... She couldn't let Bakura be hurt... especially not for her sake... But what could she do?

Seeming to read her thoughts, Bakura turned to her and mouthed, "Go... now!"

The girl stared into the boy's flaming chocolate eyes feeling mesmerized and dumbfounded. Those eyes bottomless depths of pure beautiful brown, and Serenity felt as if she could swim in them forever and never feel unhappy. Little did she know how he was thinking the same of hers.

Why was he doing this? Gentle, sincere Ryou Bakura was defending her with his life. But then, she thought, I would defend any of my friends with my life...

No... she couldn't let him do this. "I can't!" she mouthed back. "What about you?"

Bakura was slightly stunned. Why did he deserve such concern from her? He wasn't worth it... "Please, love. Go!" Bakura glanced over his shoulder at the leader and his three companions, all of whom began to advance on him with sadistic grins casting evil shadows on their sharp features.

Tears were welling in Serenity's sparkling eyes. He would get hurt, and it would be all her fault... But a thought ran through her mind_: 'I'm just making it worse by staying here. He can't concentrate on the men with me distracting him.'_

Serenity breathed deeply, telling herself not to cry. What should she do? If she left, she would be deserting him, but if she stayed, she'd be hindering him. There were four men and only one Bakura...

Out of the blue, a noble thought ran into her mind: '_Maybe I can draw at least one of those men after me...'_

Her eyes hardening with a resolve, she gazed at Bakura who turned back once more to look at the beautiful girl. No matter how unwillingly, she was moving towards the tunnel to the outside. Relief washed over the boy.

Their eyes met. Bakura spoke softly but Serenity heard, "I will find you, love."

Serenity's lip trembled slightly as the white-haired boy turned away to face the four attackers alone. It was an awe-inspiring picture: One pale-skinned, white-haired hero was facing four towering black demons. Due to the strange cavern lighting, it appeared as if a silvery aura was surrounding Bakura, making Serenity's heart flutter slightly.

Millions of awful "what if" questions were flying past her mind so fast that she was becoming dizzy.

Worriedly, Serenity moved towards the door, scared that none of the men would follow her out. She had to help Bakura, and this was the only way that she could think to do that at the moment. Breathing rapidly, Serenity made her gestures larger, miserably hoping that they'd notice. And- there!

Weasel-face was glaring at her. He was standing apart from the other three men, and he was watching her every move. Smirking, he ran a hand through his mussed up dirty blonde hair.

'_Please, follow me... Please get away from Bakura...'_ Serenity thought desperately.

Then, he took a step towards her. And another. And another.

Not wanting to lose him, Serenity slowly backed up through the tunnel entrance. Every second seemed a millennium. Finally, the walls of the tunnel appeared around her... With the weasly man still advancing on the seemingly helpless girl, Serenity turned and fled through the tunnel.

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Embarrassed from being thrown around by a mere teenager, the leader drew a switchblade and glared at the boy menacingly. This didn't faze Bakura one bit. These demons were trying to hurt his angel... Nothing would stand in the way of his fury.

"Feeling protective, are we?" the leader smiled, allowing the grim blade to shine in the flickering firelight.

Bakura's insides seethed.

"You should realize, boy, that nothing- and I mean nothing- ever gets in my way." The leader took a step forward, which his companions repeated. He was being cocky now, feeling as though he would wear the snowy-haired boy down soon. So the girl had gotten away- she wouldn't be that difficult to track down.

Silently, the leader made a gesture to his comrades.

Bakura almost laughed. He wasn't stupid... The gesture was so blatantly obvious in its meaning that a complete moron could probably have guessed it- Circle him.

Well, he'd let them carry out their plan. No matter what it required from him, he wouldn't let them even think about going after Serenity.

###################################################################

Serenity's breath was coming fast now. As quickly as she could, she was scampering through the tunnel.

The footsteps of the weasly man were easily heard echoing not all that far behind her. There was very little time to think, let alone get her bearings. No matter how she looked at it, she had overlooked where she would run to exactly... but now, her only concern was getting the man as far away from Bakura as she could.

Turning a corner, Serenity saw the steady sheet of water, which signaled the waterfall at the end of the tunnel. There was no daylight visible outside, signaling that the two of them had spent a good slice of the afternoon in the cave. And the rain was still pouring...

She was small and agile, but Serenity knew she couldn't keep going like this... especially after the special circumstances of the past two days. Her muscles were aching and protested the long strides she took toward the fresh air. No, she'd have to face the man somehow...

Choking back a miserable sob, Serenity skidded to an abrupt halt and whirled to face her oncoming attacker.

The weasel-faced man's eyes widened in slight shock, and he attempted to stop... but he was too bulky and uncoordinated. With one slight push from the doll-like girl, he was sent flying. His dark eyes widened even more as he saw the ground rise to meet his face...

Serenity looked with slight horror at the man lying on the rock surface. Weasel-face groaned and his hands clutched either side of his head. Lifting his evil head, the dark eyes glared at the small girl. There was tangy taste in his mouth... He spit a bit of blood out before hissing, "You'll pay dearly for that insult, little girl."

A pang of guilt ran through Serenity's mind. She had hurt him- made him bleed even, but she adamantly reminded herself that she was defending herself and helping Bakura from this horrible murderer. The man had deserved what he got.

###################################################################

Bakura's attackers had surrounded him in a triangle formation. The switchblade was still gleaming an evil shade of red in the flickering firelight.

The tension hanging upon the silent air was so thick that it seemed as if it could be sliced with a knife. To the man, it was a silent surrender by Bakura, but to Bakura- it was the calm before the storm.

"Have you given up, yet?" The troll-like man sneered in his deep voice. However, he couldn't keep a slight tremor out of his voice. Afterall, this boy had managed to throw their leader halfway across the cavern. The kid wasn't the bulkiest one they'd ever come across, but he had muscle nonetheless.

Bakura wasn't interested in taunts. That had never been part of his style. Instead, he waited for something to happen... The tension was making the crooked man sweat.

It snapped.

The green-eyed leader leapt at Bakura, raising his blade to strike. His two cronies leapt at the teen as well with their fists at the ready. But Bakura was prepared... The troll and crooked man were coming from behind him.

Bakura threw himself on the floor, grunting slightly as the troll clumsily tripped over him. The leader tried to stop... but he was too late, and the blade slashed the troll-like raider across the face from ear to ear. There was a telltale yell from the troll, who reacted as he always had- he socked the icy leader right in the left eye.

On the rock floor, Bakura seized the legs of the crooked man- sending him toppling into the black-haired leader. They both fell to the floor with a loud thud.

Wiry as always, the leader pushed the crooked man off him, slashing the man across the chest in the process. He felt no remorse. He cared for his comrades less than he cared for a piece of dirt on his shirtsleeve.

Now enraged, the leader struggled to sit up. He was slightly dazed, his left eye was tearing, but he still clutched the switchblade tightly. His head swung about searching for the boy who had twice thrown him on his back. The leader felt shamed- he had been outwitted by an emotional teen-aged boy. His pride was hurt, and his pride meant more to him than any person in the world...

None of his men remained standing. What an embarrassment.

The leader cursed the moment he'd laid eyes on that boy... What would make that insolent boy hurt more than anything? ... The girl! His eyes swept over the tunnel entrance... Yes, he'd find her, and he'd make that emotional boy pay dearly...

With a triumphant cry, the leader sprung to his feet towards the tunnel entrance. He didn't see the flaming-eyed white-haired boy behind him- or at least, not until the boy had grabbed the man by the shoulders and thrown him against the rocky wall.

Faces inches apart, the two struggled- the leader still plastered against the wall by a teen-aged boy who was a few inches shorter than he. Their eyes locked, and for the first time, the leader felt a chilly true fear tickling his spine. He fought like a cornered rat now, trying desperately to bring his blade close to Bakura's face.

It was a predictable move, and Bakura was prepared. With a swift motion, he grasped the wiry man's wrist and smashed it against the wall. He repeated the same motion twice before the switchblade was sent skittering over the cavern floor.

All the blood drained out of the man's face. Now that his unfair advantage was gone, the coward in the man came out of hiding.

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Serenity watched the weasly man warily as he rose to his feet, picking something off the ground as he did so. He might be clumsy, but he was still a cold-hearted killer.

The two stood and stared at each other without making a move. It seemed weasel-face was sizing her up... and judging by the smirk on his face, he thought she'd be a pushover.

With a cry, the weasel leapt at her. Serenity dodged and circled back around, but something hard hit her in the stomach and she dropped to her knees trying to regain her breath. Little white dots were dancing before her eyes.

The weasly man's eyes shown evilly. Yes, it had been a cheap shot... He'd hit her with a lead pipe he'd found when she'd knocked him over. She was helpless now... There'd be no brownie points for good looks either.

###################################################################

With all the strength he could muster, the wiry black-haired man pushed against the teen pinning him to the wall. In a shower of small stones, the two were sent rolling across the room.

The leader looked around desperately... His switchblade, where was it?

"Are you looking for this?"

The leader froze and turned his head slightly to see the white-haired boy back on his feet and already holding the blade. Swallowing, the green-eyed man gave no answer. His face spoke louder than any words. His mind wasn't working right... There was no way this mere boy could have beaten all four of them without getting even shaken up. What was fueling this kid? He should have been weak, afterall; he let his heart rule him...

Suddenly, the wicked mind of the raider remembered his last resort. Shielding his actions from the boy's gaze, his hands went straight for his leather boot, and from it, he drew a fair-sized knife. Silently, he weighed the weapon in his hands. He'd never actually needed to use it before now.

Once again, he surveyed the damage the boy had done... There was the crooked man, lying on his back- probably unconscious- with blood flowing from the switchblade's piercing slice across his chest. Not far from him was the troll-like man, cradling his bloody face as he moaned bitterly.

It then hit the green-eyed criminal... The wounds of his companions had been inflicted by him and not by the boy. He was amazed, but he felt no feeling. He could always find better men...

But Yai was missing... Where was that weasely man?

Bakura watched a grin appear on the face of the foul man. It could be some type of bluff... but Bakura didn't care. That man could not- and would not- get through the tunnel entrance.

It was at that moment that the man leapt at Bakura again, the secret knife blade flashing in the firelight. Seeing the unexpected metal glint, the teen swerved to the right, but he wasn't that lucky. A hiss escaped his lips as the blade sliced through his plaid jacket and over his biceps. There was already a crimson stain appearing around the tare in his jacket.

The blade swung around again, but this time there was no element of surprise. Bakura parried with the switchblade. The two were caught now in another staring contest, as their blades were locked before them.

The cut on Bakura's forehead from the train wreck had reopened, and red was trickling down his face and into his eye. A few locks of his snowy hair were tinted crimson. Everything seemed to throb, but the fire inside him made him keep going... It was the starry depths of Serenity's eyes that he saw so clearly in his mind that fueled the white-haired teen.

###################################################################

Yai advanced on the gasping girl kneeling on the cold tunnel floor clutching her aching stomach. He shifted his grip on the heavy lead pipe, and smirked horribly. This game of cat and mouse was sending a thrill through him. With his free hand, he brushed his shaggy dirty blonde hair out of his eyes. There was still blood in his mouth from his fall, but he no longer cared.

Even gasping for air, she still looked like an angel...

Serenity tried to inhale, but such a simple function seemed impossible at the moment- not to mention her abdomen was sending piercing shockwaves through her body. Everything was whirling. Her brown eyes swam in and out of focus as she attempted to look at the weasely man who had attacked her. He was stepping towards her now, and she suddenly felt frightened.

Now he was only two feet from her.

Air was starting to flow through her mind again. Her vision was clearing... Without a thought, Serenity leapt to her feet with a catlike motion. Silently, the auburn-haired girl retreated back a few paces, breathing deeply.

Yai laughed at her graceful movements. "It's just you and me, isn't it?" He hefted the lead pipe menacingly, not showing the surprise that she'd managed to recover so rapidly from a blow like that. She might be an angel, but she sure was a feisty one...

He advanced on her again, trying to get her against a wall. A dark chuckle came up from his throat. "Where did you learn to be so much like a cat?"

Something clicked in Serenity's mind. That name he had just used was so like the one her father had given her. Kitten. Suddenly, to Serenity, it wasn't the raider Yai towering before her... but a man from her memory- her father.

Her eyes filled with rage. "I told you to never come back."

Confused, the weasely man's eyes widened significantly. What did she mean?

"You don't scare me anymore... All you ever told me was lies. People do care about me, and they do fight for what they believe in. Bakura showed me what I needed most in my life."

He looked over his shoulder hastily to see if she was addressing someone behind him. There was no one there.

Seemingly out of nowhere, her right hand scratched the weasley man across the face, causing him to yell and step back. Yai was so startled by the girl that he stood dumbfounded before her as she went on.

"And now I will take a chance, because I learned that it's the soul that's afraid of dying that never really lives."

In her mind, Serenity's father faltered his advance and clutched his face where she had scratched him. The image vanished as a voice that was not her father's answered her:

"I don't know what you're talking about, little girl, but you'll really pay for that cat-scratch."

Serenity gasped as she saw her father's face morph into that of the weasely man. Tears sprung to her eyes as she fought down the panic and fury inside. She made a brave face as the evil man sprung at her- lead pipe in hand.

###################################################################

There didn't seem to be an escape from the lock of their blades. Bakura hissed as his tensed muscles made blood stream from his slashed arm.

Neither would break.

The British teen would have liked nothing more than to wipe the foul grin off the icy man's face.

Seeming to read his mind, the green-eyed man laughed and growled, "I bet you want to know what I have to smile about..." He paused, but Bakura merely gritted his teeth. The raider continued, "I know your weakness, kid. That girl..."

Bakura's eyes flared once more at the mention of the Serenity by such a demonic murderer, but he said nothing.

"Yes, you know... the young beauty." The leader paused here to smile, "Your heart will be your downfall, boy. With people like you, it always is..."

"Keep to the point." Bakura snapped, hating this man even more for the taunting.

The icy man ignored him, and he gave Bakura a look of mock sorrow. "Pity, really. You tried ever so hard to save her, and now all that was such a waste."

Bakura had never felt like this in his life. He was enraged to the point of positively exploding. He had no idea what this liar was talking about.

Throwing back his greasy head and laughing, the green-eyed leader kept taunting the boy. "Even though I wasn't the one to find her, rest assured it will be me that makes her suffer... right before I slit your throat."

Bakura's hand tightened on the switchblade. It wasn't concern for himself, as one might think. In fact, the teen had stopped listening to the man's voice after he had mentioned Serenity and suffering in the same sentence. He thought_: 'That will never happen...'_

The sadistic man chuckled again. "You see, boy, there were four of us in this cavern when you first came in..." His voice became hushed, "And there are only three of us left."

The sudden wave of fury that surged through Bakura could have moved mountains and crushed them to shapes the size of butterflies. His arms surged forward, sending the leader toppling to the floor only inches from the crackling fire. With a pained cry, his knife flew from his hands.

Bakura had never really hurt anyone before, but now was different.

As the leader made a wild grab for his knife, Bakura kicked the flames. Sparks flew into the evil yellowish green eyes. Now blinded, the man was afraid for his life. This boy was unbeatable... He seemed to possess a godlike power that could extinguish his life in the blink of an eye.

The greasy raider whimpered as he was picked up by the collar of his jacket. It hurt to open his eyes, but he could dimly see the pale face, snowy hair, and brown eyes.

Bakura glared into the dazed green eyes. "I will not kill you, but you will have to live with the knowledge that you have been beaten at your own game." He let the man flop onto the rocky floor, and he tossed the switchblade into the flames, cursing the man who had invented them. "And if you ever threaten my light in the dark again..." He let the words trail off as there was no need to finish.

A new burst of adrenaline came to Bakura as he thought once more of the reason he was fighting... Serenity needed him. He was sprinting through the tunnel as fast as he could, but he couldn't stop his heart from pounding as he heard a cold laugh from farther down the tunnel.

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Serenity leapt out of the way once more, but her stomach still ached. Letting out a cry, she held back her tears and tried to scamper to the other side of the tunnel. The lead pipe connected with the side of her head, sending the petite girl sprawling like a rag doll.

Roughly, she was picked up by the back of her blue jacket. She was now looking into the weasley face that threatened to kill her. He was speaking, although her head was reeling from the force of the weapon on her head.

"So, little girl, you thought there was hope for you and albino boy to escape? Well, the boss'll tare him to pieces... and you..."

'_No! Not Bakura!' _Serenity's mind shrieked.

The man ran his slimy fingers through her long auburn hair, but he was stopped when Serenity slammed the heel of her foot into his shin. He cried and let her drop to the floor.

Without even thinking, she kicked the lead pipe out of his hand and down the tunnel. He wouldn't get another cheap shot like those if she could help it. She'd learned a few things living with a father like the one that she'd had.

In the midst of attempting to rise to her feet, Serenity was grabbed cruelly by her hair and thrown against the tunnel wall. Her hands were both pinned by his, and she was forced to stare at his weasel-like face. She struggled, and tried to kick him... but he was too close. His breath was hot on her face, and she spit right at his eyes.

The evil man through back his head and laughed coldly. "Who do you think would possibly help you now? It would have to be a miracle or a god..."

There was a sharp whistle.

Yai's head swiveled to look- right in time to see a lead pipe coming straight for his head. It made contact, and he slumped onto the ground.

"BAKURA!" Serenity gracefully leapt over the unconscious body and into open arms. She was engulfed with the boy's sweet scent, and she curled her arms about his neck.

"Serenity..." Bakura cooed her name softly, his fury leaving him swiftly and being replaced by a beautiful relief. "I told you I'd find you." He buried his face in her cinnamon hair. The ache seemed to leave his body, and the world stood still as his strong arms encircled the small girl. He had her back- that was all that mattered- and he forgot everything around them.

Their hearts were both pounding. Serenity looked deep into Bakura's eyes as if she was searching his very soul. "Did I ever tell you that you're my hero, Bakura?" She smiled, and waves of happiness exploded in her starry eyes.

Bakura smiled back, but his head snapped up as the moment was broken when the man at their feet groaned loudly. "We have to leave."

He grabbed Serenity's hand and the two of them practically flew out of the tunnel to face the rain.

The ground was slippery and their vision was limited, but the red smears were being washed out of Bakura's hair and off his face- for that he was thankful. The couple sprinted through the valley, wary of every movement of the shadows. They were both soaked in no time, but neither seemed to notice. Something that had left them had returned in full measure now that they were together again.

Serenity bit her tongue to keep herself from crying out at the pain in her abdomen. She refused to make Bakura stop and worry more about her. She stumbled, and she gasped as she nearly fell on her face. But the impact never came.

Just in time, Bakura swept the petite girl into his arms easily and continued running. They were now not only racing the weather- they were running for their lives.

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_Elenion: Ahem. Well, I'd really really really appreciate comments and criticism and all that jazz. I'd like to know how it's progressing. I'm already part-way done with Chapter 4, so expect it up soon! Ciao!_


	4. Protecting You From Myself

**A TRAIN OF THOUGHTS**

_Elenion: Obviously, I don't own anything Yu-Gi-Oh related or any songs of Enya, so please don't sue me or anything... So for the responses to the reviews:_

_SilentAngel014- Well, I'm very honored that you like how I write. And that one line of Bakura's was actually an afterthought that I almost didn't put in, so I'm glad I did. And I'll second you on the Ryou&Serenity 4ever!_

_Elenion: Just a note- /these brackets/ mean talking via the yami/hikari link. Okay... so let's continue with the story._

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**CHAPTER 4: Protecting You From Myself**

Two smooth hands patiently let the stream water wash away the dirt and leaves. The gurgling of the stream was calming the delicate auburn-headed girl as she attempted to clean off the evidence of two days out in the wilderness. Despite the fact that four potential murderers might be out looking for them, Serenity was feeling somewhat better than she had a few hours before.

Reflecting silently on it, she knew this was because they had finally stopped to rest. She had been worried about Bakura. Afterall, he was obviously hurt and yet he still was determined to carry her so she wouldn't stumble. However, he was also sensible and knew that he couldn't keep going forever. This stream had presented a welcome ideal spot to rest.

There was no doubt that she admired him. He wasn't largely built, but his muscles were healthy and well toned. He also had a sharp, analytical head on his shoulders, which was much more than most people his age could say. And he was agile. Serenity bit her lip. Maybe it was just insecurities, but she couldn't ever just tell him that she thought he was one of the most amazing people she'd ever met.

As much as they both had wanted a fire (who wouldn't if they were soaked to the bone), they both knew that a fire was a sure way to attract unwelcome guests. Therefore, they'd opted against it. They had focused on the more pressing needs- their own scrapes and bruises.

"It feels like we just did this..." she had whispered sadly.

Bakura had just gazed at her. "We did."

But not all was lost. Even as they both felt déjà vu as they tenderly cleaned each other's wounds, they realized that Bakura still had stolen food in his jacket pockets.

In all the commotion, neither of them had realized just how hungry they had become, and they both ate gratefully. So Serenity thus had plenty of cause to feel better. Who wouldn't after eating for the first time in two days?

The brook was cool and Serenity watched the leaves flow through the ebbs of the current. It had seemed like an eternity, but the storm had finally decided to move on to terrorize a different valley- leaving destruction in its wake. It was the middle of the night, although neither of them knew what the precise time was. Clouds were still everywhere, but the light of the moon shown peacefully behind them.

Not far from the girl, the white-haired teen leaned against a gnarled tree gazing at the sky. He sighed wondering what on earth was to become of them. His forehead still ached every now and then- along with the rest of his body for that matter. With the combination of the formidable train wreck and the encounter with the four criminals, Bakura had really taken a beating. Yet strangely, he didn't regret it.

'_Where did I suddenly get the impulse to take on those men?' _Bakura couldn't help wondering. He'd never hurt anyone in his life. He was the shy, polite boy who was always there to lend a hand like any loyal friend would. '_But I have always tried to protect my friends too- especially from my yami...I've always distanced myself, because I've been afraid that he might hurt them. Serenity, Fates know I don't deserve you, but I promised I'd protect you.' _Yes- it dawned. Serenity had been the reason for his sudden bravery. She was his light- someone who meant more to him than his own life... '_And I will.'_

But it wasn't a one-way street. Serenity was worried about Bakura. She had felt so guilty when she seen the hideous knife-gash on his arm. '_What did they do to you, Bakura? Why did you suffer for me? He's lost a lot of blood. And then he carried me with that arm. Oh gods...'_

Their jackets now hung from tree branches in an attempt to dry them. Now that the rain had stopped along with the storm's wind, there air was not as chilled as it had been.

Bakura turned his gaze to watch Serenity's graceful movements as she allowed the stream's water to trickle through her hands. There were so many things that he wished he could tell her, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Even he knew that he could be insecure at times, and this being no exception. He tried to convince himself that he had nothing to tell her- not until he himself figured out his own feelings at any rate. He'd never felt such a thrill whenever he looked at someone before... or when someone laughed with him... It was as if there was an electric quality to the air.

Unsure as he was, the silver-haired boy stepped towards her and hesitantly kneeled next to the girl by the stream. He ran a hand through his white hair absently and looked at his own reflection silently.

"How did you do it?"

Bakura looked at the innocently beautiful girl next to him. "Do what?"

"Get them to leave us alone."

The British teen just shook his head grimly. "I, myself, did very little. It was mostly them and their greed that caused them to destroy each other."

"Weren't you afraid?" Serenity looked at Bakura as if she might cry.

Bakura thought for a moment. It was hard to say. The whole experience had been something so new to him that he could hardly comprehend what had happened. His only concern had been Serenity- his own safety had never been an issue so fear had never really entered the picture. "I'm not sure," he answered truthfully.

Serenity choked on her words as a few tears came trickling down her soft cheeks, "You could have gotten hurt even worse than you are or even... even killed!"

'_What did I do right to deserve the care of an angel?' _Bakura thought amazed, then he gently used his fingers to wipe away the tears. "I could say the same for you, love. You were in just as much danger as I was."

The redhead just nodded, her tears ceasing. '_I'm just so worried about him.' _

Bakura's head snapped up at the sound of a branch snapping. They weren't out of the woods yet so to speak. Any noise or movement could represent a grave danger.

Serenity looked at him knowing what he was thinking. Gently but firmly, his arm took her shoulder and pushed her down to the ground. "Stay down," he whispered.

A strange thought came into Serenity's head at that moment. '_Is it me that's worried about him or him that's worried about me?'_

Bakura's heart was pounding slightly as he followed his senses to the cracked branch. Perpetually, he was forced to fight the impulse to keep glancing at the petite girl to reassure himself that she was all right. He kept going swiftly through the trees following instinct and a hunch. Two eyes peered at him through the darkness and he immediately froze in place. Every muscle on his body pulsed with energy and his entire body tensed.

The eyes narrowed and came closer...

A low chuckle escaped Bakura's lips. A raccoon. "I should have known that there would be a number of false alarms."

Turning and shaking his head in slight disbelief, Bakura retraced his steps toward the stream. His thoughts turned to the girl waiting for him and a thrill tingled in his mind, when he gasped from shock.

His millennium ring had appeared on the outside of his shirt where it had been hidden beneath it. In disbelief, his hand moved to his millennium ring, which was about his neck.

"Oh no..." His other hand clutched his forehead as if he was in severe pain. Everything seemed to be whirling before him. A grave dizziness had overtaken him.

A recognizable surge rippled through his mind- both powerful and smug. There was a dark chuckle in the back of his mind.

/Not now, yami. Oh please, just not now.../

Feeling helpless, Bakura knew he had never been able to overthrow his yami before. It had taken months to recognize the signs that he was being overthrown by the spirit of the millennium ring, but he still could not exercise control. The moment that Bakura had first been given the ring was one of the disastrous turning points of his life. If there was one thing he could go back and change in his life, it would be accepting the ring from his father. Wishing didn't help him, however.

The dark voice he'd come to know entered Bakura's mind: /Stop struggling, hikari. There's nothing you can do./

There was another aching surge through Bakura's mind. The combination of the train wreck on his physical body and the constant anxiety about how he and Serenity could survive were enough to weaken Bakura enough for his yami to take control fairly easily. No amount of fighting had ever been able to prevent it before.

Ryou Bakura was overcome, although he fought his yami the entire way before he was locked in his yami's soul room.

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Serenity lifted her head slightly, rotating her head slowly in an attempt to catch a glimpse of Bakura. A mental struggle was going on in her mind. He had told her to stay where she was, but if something was wrong what if he needed her help? But then, if something was wrong, wouldn't she have known by now?

Undecided, she took a breath. "Bakura?" Where had he gone?

_'Oh gods, what if something happened to him?'_ Serenity bit her lip in anxiety completely unaware that something was indeed wrong but not quite in the way that she had anticipated. _'That's it. I can't keep waiting like this. I'm going to look for him.'_

Putting on a brave face, Serenity clenched her fists and pushed herself up on her elbows. Her abdomen and head were dully throbbing, but she ignored them. She drew her knees up beneath her so that she could effectively kneel. From there, she hesitated. Again the poor girl was at a crossroads. '_What if he comes back here looking for me?'_

Movement from among the trees...

Serenity froze. Her eyes widened, but she didn't cry out.

There was the silhouette of a person among the trees. It was too dark to see the features, but the movements were precise and calculated. Serenity's first thought was of Bakura, but the way he moved was wrong. It couldn't possibly be him.

Petrified, Serenity couldn't move.

The figure moved closer towards the stream. Its movements were obviously masculine and an image of her father popped into Serenity's mind, but she quickly dismissed it. This person wasn't stocky as he was.

The frightened girl held her breath. She realized that in this kneeling position she would be easily spotted, but there was nothing that she could do now. Movement would just be worse.

The man was moving as if he was a tiger patiently stalking its prey- both ethereal and calculated. Although Serenity was all but psychic, it seemed like this person was radiating a dark aura; it was dark even compared to the night air beneath the trees.

It was then that the clouds separated allowing the moonlight to peak its head through the overhanging trees. But now Serenity wished fervently that it would go away. She felt like there was a spotlight shining right upon her head, and she began to panic.

Finally, the stranger stepped out of the trees...

It all happened in a moment. White hair, brown eyes... Serenity was frozen in amazement and disbelief...

Bakura.

And yet, it wasn't Bakura. Dark... The pure aura the British boy carried was dark. Those brown eyes were cold. Murderer's eyes... All the soft edges of his face were chiseled and sharp. He seemed taller, or perhaps it was just the way he carried himself. The usually beautiful silver hue of his hair had become grim, losing its shine.

It wasn't Bakura. It couldn't be.

Serenity gasped in horror as the cold eyes focused on hers. As a reflex, she closed them tightly.

_'This is just a bad dream. I will wake up and find Bakura sleeping next to me, and he won't be changed at all.'_

But if that was true, then why could she still feel the lingering presence of those dark eyes staring at her. Serenity couldn't breathe. It was like a nightmare. Maybe she hadn't seen it right, and it had all been a figment of her imagination... But she couldn't bring herself to reopen her eyes. It was too much for her to see _him _again.

She could hear him moving steadily towards her in that cunning manner that resembled a predator. Then it stopped. The rather pretty girl couldn't sense what was happening, but if she had, she would have seen this strange Bakura grasping his forehead as if he was in pain with a look of cruel disbelief written across his face.

The air was so tense. Everything seemed to be depending on this one moment, and Serenity wished that she had the inner strength to open her eyes so that she could better understand what was happening. There was something Joey had said once about Bakura, but she couldn't quite remember what...

Now something had changed. Serenity could feel it.

Strong fingers curled around hers. Serenity jumped slightly, of course fearing the worst. Her scared eyes snapped open, and she looked at her hand with surprise. Bakura's hand held hers as if it was fragile and might break at any moment.

"Serenity?"

Serenity lifted her head and gazed into his eyes. They were weary- as if he'd fought a monster against all odds- but they were soft and sparkling.

'_So I was imagining things...'_

Her slender fingers on her free hand touched his face wanting to confirm that he wasn't some illusion, a figment of her mind. She was still a bit unraveled, and her eyes were still wide with lingering disbelief. '_Please be real. Oh, please be real.' _Serenity looked into the face she'd become so familiar with and slowly felt wonderful relief come pounding down into her heart.

She ran her fingers over his cheek, which no longer seemed harsh and angular. Calming down now, Serenity sighed and just stared at him.

Then she seemed to realize that her hand remained on his face. Embarrassed, she jerked her hand back and turned her head to the side so he couldn't see her blush. Swallowing, she closed her eyes tightly wishing she hadn't done something so stupid. Of course it had been Bakura. In her anxiety, she had just imagined something awful like that. Like when she'd imagined that the criminal attacking her was her father.

The white-haired British teen stared at her. That hand on his face had been so soft and gentle. Mixed with the intoxicating feeling he got when he was around her, it was a feeling he'd never really felt before. Gently, he squeezed the hand he was still caressing reassuringly. He was so tired... But there was also a strange sense of triumph. Somehow, he'd been able to reclaim his consciousness from his dark avatar.

Serenity looked at him again with wonder in her captivating eyes. Then everything came back to normal for her. As she usually did, she smiled. "I had a weird dream while you were gone."

Bakura smiled back haltingly. "Of what?"

She just shook her head. "Something that I'm sure will never really happen."

The British boy gave her a quizzical look, but he didn't pursue it. He was so exhausted now that it didn't seem to matter. Somehow he wasn't able to grasp what it was that she had "dreamed".

Seeing the way he was struggling to remain alert, Serenity smiled sympathetically. She had gotten some sleep in that cavern while he hadn't... "Why don't you get some sleep?"

"What about you?"

She giggled. "I'd really like to rinse my hair out. I'll be fine." She peered at him suddenly concerned. "And you look exhausted, you poor thing."

Suddenly, his eyes sparkled playfully. "Indeed. Protecting an angel isn't easy, don't you know."

Serenity's mouth opened in a small "o" of surprise. '_Did he- Was I imagining things? Did he just call me an-' _"Angel?" She had never blushed so heatedly in her life.

"What else could I possibly compare you with?" Bakura's eyes were gleaming flirtatiously despite the exhaustion that was now plaguing his mind like a disease.

"Well, what does a hero like yourself want with a damsel-in-distress angel like me?" Serenity finally snapped out of her reverie and giggle helplessly.

It was Bakura's turn to blush. "Now, wait a minute, love. That's uncalled for. I'm no hero."

"Oh? What are you then?" Serenity squeezed his hand gleefully.

Bakura saw an evil opportunity- and took it. "I..." he smiled winningly, "am a water spirit."

This threw her into confusion. "A water spi-"

There was no opportunity to finish as Bakura tackled the petite girl into the water. The stream was only a few feet deep, but it was sufficient enough for them both to become completely soaked as they plunged to its bottom and came shooting back to the surface. They were both laughing good-naturedly, forgetting their grave circumstances for the moment.

"A water spirit?" Serenity giggled as they both kneeled before each other in the water. Her auburn hair was spreading out in the water, and mixing that with the glowing moonlight gave her an elfin appearance.

The silver-haired boy just smiled in response. He'd made her laugh, and that was all that mattered. But now the realization of how closely his yami had come to her made Bakura become grim. A pounding headache from his mental fight hit home. "I think I'd better..."

"Get some sleep?" Serenity finished helpfully. "I tried to tell you earlier, but noooo... you didn't listen." She flashed him a heartwarming smile. "You go ahead. While I'm here, I might as well rinse my hair."

Bakura nodded gratefully and sloshed out of the water. It seemed like he'd never be dry again what with the storm that only recently passed on and his sudden decision to send him and Serenity tumbling into the stream. He leaned his back up against a gnarled tree and gazed at the moon. Closing his eyes, he let his mind wander. He found few thoughts to comfort him, and he sank deeper and deeper into an abysmal depression.

_'Yami came so close to Serenity. If he hurt her, I'd never forgive myself.'_

/Hikari.../

It was faint, but he heard his yami speaking to him. His thoughts became deeper and suddenly he was standing in his yami's soul room. Bakura was standing before the man who was so like him- and yet, so unlike. Upon first glance, they might be mistaken for the same person, but they were truly opposites in spirit. They were two sides of the same coin- a yin-yang if you will.

Yami Bakura glared intensely at the spirit of his host. Never before had his lighter side been able to overthrow him, and he didn't like this loss of power. But something in his hikari had changed... Somehow, he'd grown livelier, more determined, braver...

Ryou Bakura stared back at his darker self. He was surprised that his yami wanted to talk to him. Afterall, he rarely had before.

/Where did you get power like that?/

Bakura shook his head, honestly not knowing. /I don't know, yami./

Yami Bakura growled and remained glaring at his softer counterpart.

/I've never been able to reclaim myself before.../ This was Bakura's turn to be angry. /But I've wished many times that I could have./

It was true. Yami Bakura had sent his hikari on a trip to the fires of hell and back. He'd made the already shy Ryou Bakura afraid to associate with others for fear of hurting them. He'd hurt his hikari in every way possible: physically, emotionally, and mentally. He'd kept Ryou from developing relationships like other kids his age... He'd unjustly made Ryou grow up beyond his years, and his hikari knew all this.

/I want my life back, yami. I just want to be myself./

Yami Bakura snarled at his hikari evilly. /Why should I do all that you ask?/ His chilling voice could have frozen the ocean over.

/All I want is to live my own life. Why is that so hard?/ Bakura was gritting his teeth as he watched the spirit who'd taken his life mulling all this over in his evil mind.

Something in Bakura's response sent a cold smirk onto the tombrobber's pale face. /It's that girl, isn't it hikari?/

Bakura's eyes hardened at the smug tone his yami was using. His yami might have hurt her, and, yes, that had been his motivation to regain control...

/You want your life back so that you can be with that girl./ Yami Bakura threw back his head and roared with sinister laughter. /So that's what spurred on that sudden fight... I must admit, that fight was highly amusing. I never thought I'd see the day when my hikari actually picked a fight with someone.../ Again he laughed. /She is beautiful, eh, hikari?/

Ryou Bakura felt vengeful tears pool in his eyes but he refused to let them get the better of him. His yami had taken away from him his freedom and hurt almost all he cared about... There was no way he'd let him hurt Serenity.

Yami Bakura's keen eyes stared into Ryou's as if they were searching his very soul. From the look on his hikari's face, it was plain that he did care about her. And his hikari also knew that getting close to anyone was dangerous... /She really is one of the sweetest little girls I've ever seen.../

/Don't you talk about Serenity as if she's just a toy./ Ryou Bakura hissed protectively.

Yami Bakura chuckled again. /You're so soft, aibou. This "sweet" courting of yours is pathetic./

Ryou Bakura felt heat rise to his face. How had his yami been able to see all of this so easily and state it so coldly?

/You and your idealistic beliefs make me sick./ Yami Bakura practically spat the words out, and then he smirked once more. /Let me guess, you _love_ her, am I right?/

Ryou's face paled. He never thought he'd be able to love someone. He'd sworn to never let his yami hurt anyone, and to do that, he had to distance himself. But now there was Serenity... Somehow, he'd never admitted to himself that he loved her, but it all fit. It just felt right.

/You fool!/ Yami Bakura hissed amused nevertheless. /It's all an illusion. It will be my pleasure to make you see that.../ He smirked then.

/Don't you dare hurt her.../

Yami Bakura adored this little game he was playing with his host. /Is that what you're so worried about? Don't worry, aibou... I wouldn't hurt her./ Yet.

There was no trust in Ryou Bakura's eyes. He had never trusted his darker counterpart, and he doubted that he ever would. Those eyes were so filled with lies and deceit. He felt as though he was being toyed with, and he didn't like it at all. About to say something, Bakura was cut off when his yami gave him a stern look and hissed at him.

Then Bakura was sent out of his yami's soul room. Whatever it was his yami was up to, Bakura swore to himself that he'd put an end to it.

Bakura's mind drifted back to the waking world. '_I promised you, Serenity, that I would protect you. I will, even if it means protecting you from myself.'_

A beautiful voice was singing sweetly as Bakura woke from his strange sleep. He recognized the words as an Enya song, and he let the melody pour over him.

"_Who can say_

_Where the road goes_

_Where the day flows_

_Only time"_

Bakura slowly opened his eyes to see the beautiful girl kneeling by the stream. Serenity's hair had been braided and tied in a knot at the end. She was still soaked, and her hair was sending little rivulets of water trickling down her back. Her voice was so captivating... Just like everything about her.

"_And who can say _

_If your love grows_

_As your heart chose_

_Only time"_

Innocently, Serenity turned her head around, and Bakura immediately shut his eyes so that she thought he was asleep. Straining his ears, he could hear her movements. Her footsteps came towards him, and the teen held his breath.

Serenity had forgotten the inexplicable change in Bakura that she had seen. Her optimism had nearly erased it from her memory and she had further dismissed it as being a weird twist from her overly-exhausted mind. She smiled down at Bakura's apparently sleeping form. He seemed so peaceful in his sleep. Like that, he looked like a fallen archangel absorbing the moonlight. She sat and leaned against the tree next to Bakura. Her mind was going haywire. All her emotions that she'd tried to hide were whirling around her chest so fast that she could scarcely breathe.

Taking down her now-dry jacket from the tree, she took out a plastic-encased Duel Monsters card. It was the only one she owned, but it meant the world to her. Joey had given it to her for her 16th birthday. It was a Mystical Elf card. He said that it reminded him of her.

Joey... She missed him, but there was something inside her that was screaming something else at her. Slowly, she put the card back in her jacket pocket.

Unsure of herself, she whispered to the white-haired boy whom she assumed was asleep. "Something really hit home just now... Even if we do get back home to all our families and friends, we're still going to have to leave one another. And at first, this didn't bother me because I thought that we were just friends and would be able to see each at school and on weekends with everyone else. But now, I realized that every moment that I spend away from you is one of the longest moments of my life." She stared at his handsome unmoving face watching the wind blow his feathery hair in ethereal movements. Leaning over, Serenity brushed away his bangs and suddenly kissed his forehead. "Sweet dreams, Bakura."

The innocent beauty closed her eyes and fell into her own dreams quickly. Her breath came slowly and evenly. Truly, at that moment, Serenity was embodying her name.

Slowly, Bakura opened his eyes in wonder. "Sweet dreams to you too, Serenity..."

He would make sure that his yami would never hurt her, even if that meant that he himself might have to suffer for it.

###################################################################

Mrs. Desato's voice went in one ear and out of the other of a certain Joey Wheeler. History had never been his favorite subject, but it wasn't just his dislike for- in his opinion- useless dates and facts that kept him from concentrating... The blonde teen sighed audibly, not even seeing the notes that the teacher was scribbling on the blackboard as she lectured. His yellow pencil was still in his hand, but the sheet of paper before him only had his name and the date.

It was the first day of school of the year... and his sister was missing. Nearly dying of anxiety, Joey had stayed awake all night long waiting to hear the phone ring. His friends had tried to cheer him up, saying things like Mai had... It probably was just some technical problem... Maybe the conductor had just stopped to avoid the weather... Whatever the cause, neither Serenity Wheeler nor Ryou Bakura were present at their own "Welcome Home" party. The gang had decided to postpone the party until the actual return of their friends, and, instead, they had gone their separate ways in hopes of a good night's sleep.

"Joseph Wheeler!"

Joey's head snapped up to see Mrs. Desato glaring at him through her saucer-sized glasses. "Wha'?"

The teacher made a sound deep in her throat that resembled a growl. She absolutely hated incompetence... but this was the first day of the year for goodness sake! What was this boy thinking? From the bags under his eyes, she could tell he'd stayed up all night, and she despised him for it. "I was reviewing last year's history with the class so that we're all on the same page. And I asked you which of Rome's emperors was..."

The rest of her question just sounded like "blah blah blah" to Joey, and he was eternally thankful to his pal Yugi for scribbling the answer on a piece of paper and inconspicuously showing it to Joey.

"Er... Augustus."

Mrs. Desato ground her teeth together, before snapping, "Yes, that is correct." She gave him a look that plainly said- '_I'm keeping my eye on you_.' When she turned back to her blackboard, Joey flashed Yugi the "V" for Victory sign, as he tried to smile.

Joey's brown eyes wandered down to his hand, which was holding a rather beat up picture. He swallowed as he stared at the picture of Serenity and himself both flashing his signature "V" sign at the camera. It had been taken at his last birthday party, which could easily be surmised by all the confetti in their hair. Tea had gone a little overboard with the decorations that time...

Forlornly, Joey stared at his sister, who was smiling winningly at the camera with one arm resting on her big brother's shoulders. He wondered if she still had that Mystical Elf card he'd given her. Once more, he sighed. The blonde boy just knew that if anything ever happened to his little sister, he'd lose a large part of himself...

It was at that moment that a secretary carefully opened the classroom door and entered. Obviously, she was nervous, and she was twirling a strand of bleached blonde hair between her fingers. When she spoke, her voice was nasal and annoying:

"Sorry for interrupting, but I'm looking for a Mr. Joseph Wheeler."

Mrs. Dasato gave Joey a death glared, thinking perhaps that it was his fault that her class had gotten interrupted. "What do you need him for?"

Joey just sat in his seat in bewilderment, a bad feeling stirring in his gut.

"Well, he received a call from the train station..."

"What did they say?" Joey leapt to his feet, heart pounding. He no longer cared what that Dasato-bitch thought of him.

The blonde secretary bit her lip and said in a low voice. "Well, they-uh- they told me to just turn on the TV..." She walked over to the classroom television, and flipped it on to the morning news.

The entire classroom froze in shock, staring in complete and utter horror at the television.

###################################################################

_Elenion: Please tell me how I'm doing! Criticism is what makes the writer write!_


	5. Of Destiny Boards And Butterfly Kisses

**A TRAIN OF THOUGHTS**

_Elenion: Again, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or I wouldn't be writing a fanfic, I'd be writing a screenplay... As usual, here are my "Reviewer Responses":_

_AnimeFreakos- Sorry about the cliffy... Don't worry, that's the first thing I explain in this chapter. Hopefully, it will live up to your expectations. Oh, and that phone number is just a randomly picked telephone number. It has no relation to me or any commercials that I know of._

_Starz Bakura- Thank you so much!! It's really nice to know that I'm doing a good job, and now I'm blushing._

_Elenion: Without further ado, Chapter 5..._

################################################################### 

**CHAPTER 5: Of Destiny Boards and Butterfly Kisses**

Joey couldn't help but stare helplessly at the television screen. His eyes were empty, as if he'd died inside while the reporter just talked onscreen with a look of fake concern.

_"... helicopter was able to locate the missing train. It seems that the storm provoked one of the most horrendous train wrecks of the century. Jane is live at the scene of the wreck. What can you tell us, Jane?"_

There was a moment's delay as the camera was switched to a sky-view of the smoldering wreckage. The very sight of it made the entire class want to turn away. It was grotesque. For the second time, the entire class blanched. Some covered their eyes and began to sob then and there.

What on earth had happened to that train? Everything was black and scorched... Then, a preened woman's head came into view.

_"Well, Mike. I'm here in one of the helicopters above the location of the crash. It appears that the incident occurred far from any human residence, which could help explain why the crash was not reported. The cause of this catastrophe is still very much unknown, although later today, we will be having an exclusive interview with the head engineer of the train's company."_

Joey's hands clenched around the picture of his sister in desperation.

The television screen split so that the first reporter, Mike, could ask the other reporter a question:

_"And what of the passengers of the 2:50 train?"_

_"Sadly, they have yet to find any survivors..."_

Joey dashed out of the classroom without looking back. He had no idea where he was running, but he had to go somewhere. He wouldn't, couldn't stop... If he had to, he'd run forever. It wasn't possible. Serenity couldn't be gone. No. It just wasn't possible.

"Joey!" Yugi called desperately after his friend, although his short legs were no match for Joey's.

"Come back, Joey!" Tea screeched, panting heavily. There were tears brimming in her azure eyes. She had been the first of all of them to fully realize what was happening.

But Joey wouldn't come back. Hot tears were stinging in his eyes, and the denial that he now faced was darker than the Shadow Realm. It just wasn't possible. It just couldn't be. How could she be gone just like that? Without a goodbye or even one last smile... He hadn't been there when she needed him. It was his fault.

A cry of despair ripped through Joey's throat like an animal. Not looking where he was going, Joey's foot bent under him sending him crashing to his knees. "Serenity, please no..." he moaned, his head hanging with a defeated air.

"Joey..." Mai put her arm around his shoulders, but she was shoved away.

"Leave me alone." Joey moaned between sobs.

Mai's eyes were streaming tears like rain. The sunny day seemed to mock their mood, and she scowled at the sun. She couldn't believe what was happening. But then, could anyone?

"We know how you feel, Joey." Yugi mumbled putting a hand on his friend's shoulder and kneeling next to him.

"No ya don't, Yug. I just lost one of my best friends and... and... my s-s-sister."

"They were our friends too, Joey." Tea whispered.

Joey turned to Mai blindly. "Do ya know wha' the last thin' she said to me was?"

Mai just shook her head and looked into the despairing eyes of Joey Wheeler.

"She said 'I love you, big brother. I'll see you real soon!'" He groaned holding his sides. "She neva even said goodbye." He let the tears run down his face freely. For once, he was unashamed of anything. This was the beginning of the end. It was the moment where life as he knew it would indefinitely unravel.

Those words echoed in his mind: _"Sadly, they have yet to find any survivors..."_

"NO!!!" Joey shoved his friends out of his way as he leapt up again and ran so hard that air was barely coming to his lungs.

"Joey!" Mai leapt to her feet as well, but Yugi grabbed her by the arm.

"No, Mai. We need to let him be." Silent tears were running openly down the short boy's cheeks. _'This isn't fair. Of all the people, the two most heart-driven I know had to be the ones to...'_

"Serenity and Bakura..." Tristan stared at the ground, not really believing what was happening. "They're both... gone. Just like that."

###################################################################

It was midafternoon now. Bakura and Serenity walked hand in hand through the trees wondering if they'd ever get home. There was no sign of civilization whatsoever. It truly appeared as if they were in the middle of nowhere with nothing but each other. But they didn't mind. They were content, sometimes talking and sometimes moving in a calmed silence.

"Do you think that anyone's looking for us?" Serenity blew a strand of auburn hair absently out of her eyes. It was still mostly tied back in a braid, but rogue pieces flew out every now and then.

"It all depends if they think we're alive or not."

"I suppose so. Maybe we should have stayed near the train." Serenity furrowed her brow cutely.

Bakura looked down at her thoughtfully. "No. I don't think so. Who knows how long it will take them to find the train?"

The delicate girl smiled sweetly and giggled. "Well, I guess if we had stayed near the train, we wouldn't have been able to take this wonderful hike, huh?"

"Oh, yes." Bakura remarked sarcastically. "This is all simply smashing."

Serenity laughed at his adorable British dialect. She had really come to love it. "Yes it really is 'simply smashing'." She imitated him causing the white-haired boy to smile. There was just something so irresistible about her. Suddenly, she turned serious. "I hope Joey's not worried about me."

Bakura nodded sympathetically. "Don't fret too much. You'll see him soon."

The corners of Serenity's mouth turned upwards once more. He always knew the right things to say at the exact moment they were needed. Eloquent with impeccable timing... "You're right. I shouldn't worry too much."

They were both still on the run from those raiders, but they had seen no sign of them anywhere. As a result, both of them had relaxed their guards, although they both occasionally stopped and scanned the area to make sure that they weren't being followed or anything of that nature. Living in the wild had just become a simple fact of life for the two of them. Their city lives had been put on a stand still, and the forest life had claimed them.

The valley had risen to a shelf, and it was obvious that it would soon dip into another valley.

Bakura was constantly on his mental guard. If his yami tried anything, he'd make sure to tell Serenity to run as far and fast as she could. He surely wasn't going to give in to his yami without a fight, but he wanted to make sure that nothing happened to Serenity. Not by his hand or anyone else's.

"After this is all over, I am not going to want to go camping for a very very long time..." Serenity sighed.

They continued walking through the crimson sunset and well into dusk. Both were content, and neither suspected that anything bad would happen to them.

"Is that a light up ahead?" Serenity stopped in her tracks.

"So you can see it too? I thought I was hallucinating."

Indeed, there was a light up ahead. It wasn't all that far away. The light was obviously fluorescent or something to that effect. Every now and then it flickered. The bulb was probably on its way to blowing. Coming cautiously closer, the couple found that the light belonged to three men sitting on a rock by a lamppost. Behind them, stood the gates to a walled-in village.

Bakura and Serenity exchanged glances. Here was civilization.

Together, they walked slowly towards the three men. It didn't occur to them that these men might present a threat to them, so they continued.

One of the men spotted them and whistled lowly at Serenity. This all reminded Bakura of his last encounter with a group of uncivil men, and the hair on the back of his neck rose. The men got to their feet and formed a line blocking the path to the gates. They remained silent.

"Excuse me, but we were hoping to enter that village, and it just so happens that you three are in our way." Bakura stepped in front of Serenity, but remained polite and pure as usual.

The man in the middle sneered at the white-haired boy. "And what are ya gonna do about it, Brit-boy?"

The other two men chuckled along with their apparent leader. They were all wearing identical red and yellow bandannas around their heads. Obviously, they were a gang of some type... _'Great,'_ thought Bakura, _'Just what I need. More egotistic, macho men...'_

Remaining passive, Bakura tried the diplomatic approach, carefully not allowing himself to be provoked. "If you could kindly move..."

"We don't move for anyone, kid." The man in the center smirked, not knowing just how much this "kid" had recently gone through.

Serenity peeked her head around from behind Bakura and looked at the man pleadingly. "Please, sir. We really need a place to stay."

Bakura couldn't help but smile. _'"We"... I like that.'_ His smile disappeared at the way the men were looking at Serenity. Evil. Purely evil. He recognized that look. He'd seen it on that icy green-eyed man in that cavern not so long ago.

"I guess we could give 'em a chance, eh boys?" The ringleader of the trio looked around at his gang. "Since the little girl asked so nicely..."

Serenity's face paled slightly. She'd learned a lot about the hidden undertones of men in the past few days. _'This cannot be good.'_

"Okay, albino. These are my terms. We have a Duel. If I win, I get your deck. If you win, you can go through us."

Bakura wasn't fooled. "Specify who you mean when you say 'you'."

The man scowled. He'd been outsmarted, and he knew it. His face said it all. He'd meant to make Bakura leave Serenity behind.

"If I win, _both_ of us will be able to get through unharmed."

Now, the ringleader scowled. "Naw. If you get to double your prize, then I get to double mine."

Bakura remained silent. He'd expected something like this. As the man's mind moved at its Neanderthal speed, the British teen fingered his Duel Monsters deck nervously. Finally, the man seemed to reach a conclusion.

"If I win, then I get your girl."

Serenity stiffened behind Bakura, burying her face in the back of his neck. Fates knew what that man meant by that.

Unspeakable rage was flaring in Bakura's eyes, and the hair on the back of his neck was standing on end. "No."

"No?"

"I'm not obligated to accept your terms or your challenge."

The man smirked. The way the lamppost was situated made the shadows play strangely on his face. He resembled a demon. "I'm afraid that you _are_ obligated."

Serenity cried out in surprise as her arms were roughly grasped from behind, and she was held firmly by two men. Bakura whipped around, but too late. He made a grab for the struggling girl, but one man put a gleaming knife to her neck. Bakura hissed. He felt like he'd done this all before. In fact, he had- not all that long ago.

The gang's leader laughed. "You can't refuse the Cobras, Brit-boy." He held up his Duel Monsters deck. "Now what will it be?"

Bakura ground his teeth in frustration, not taking his eyes of the men holding Serenity. "If I accept, will you let her go?" He held himself rigidly. If he made a move, they might hurt her. That blade was so close to her neck that one slip and it had the power to cut through her milky smooth skin.

"Yes. Until I win..." The gang leader scoffed at the white-haired British teen.

"_If_ you win." Bakura hissed.

"Do you accept?"

Millions of ideas flashed through Bakura's mind, each one being slightly more improbable than the last. He didn't seem to have any alternative. He was a good duelist, but Serenity was on the line here... But then, if he didn't accept, then Serenity was on the line again. He had to. There was no way around it- a lose-lose situation. "I accept."

"Good. Let her go."

The two Cobras released their grips and lowered the knife. Serenity flew into Bakura's arms breathing rapidly and nuzzling her head into his chest. Bakura felt the urge to sweep her up and run for it. But he'd given his word. Sometimes he regretted being so honorable, but it was just a part of his personality that he would never be able to alter. Now, he had to win this duel. He _had_ to. For Serenity's sake... They just stood there for a minute, holding each other in an intimate embrace that sent heated sensations flowing through their bodies.

"Awww, how cute..." The Cobra leader sneered.

At that, they drew away from each other. Bakura studied Serenity's face longingly, and he closed his eyes. Then he felt her gently pressing something into his hand. Looking down, he saw that it was a Duel Monsters card.

"Why are you giving me this?" he whispered so only the girl before him could hear.

"It's the Mystical Elf," she whispered back, "Joey gave that to me for my last birthday." She smiled, reminiscing. "He said that it reminded him of me."

A small smile lit Bakura's face as he studied the card. It did in fact remind him of Serenity. The elf was slim and elegant. She was calm and held magical properties which could be used to help others. Although Serenity very obviously didn't have blue skin, the both of them looked alike in that they both had elfin features and waist-length silky hair. Bakura's eyes looked into Serenity's warm honey-colored ones. "Serenity, I can't take this if it means so much to you."

She shook her head elegantly. "Please, Bakura. If you put it in your deck, at least it will feel like I'm there helping you."

Bakura was silent. He remembered the time that his yami had taken over at the Duelist Kingdom and trapped Yugi and his friends' souls in their favorite Duel Monsters cards. _'If Serenity had been there, she obviously would have been trapped as the Mystical Elf.' _Bakura thought bitterly. Once again, he couldn't help thinking that his yami presented more danger to the poor girl than these men.

"All right, love." But Bakura was overcome by his own insecurities. "What if I don't win?"

She caressed his face with her hand. "Just do your best. That's all you can do..." A playful grin flickered across her face. "...love."

They stood there like that. Bakura felt like he could die. He never thought an angel like her could ever care for him. All he ever wanted in his life was someone like her...

"Break it up, lovebirds." The Cobra leader snarled smugly.

Bakura leaned his head down and whispered next to her ear, "I don't think they'll let you stand next to me."

Serenity smiled innocently and replied, "Then I'll wait for you." She pulled away tenderly to gaze into those cosmic brown eyes of his. Those brown orbs seemed to radiate a sincere energy into her. "I'll always wait for you."

Bakura gently kissed her on the forehead, causing the petite redhead to blush beautifully. They parted, and Bakura's lightning reflexes grasped the duel disk as it was thrown directly at his head. He looked into the eyes of the Cobra gang leader as he strapped the duel disk on his arm. It was an older version- the type Seto Kaiba had used at the Duelist Kingdom- but it was still state-of-the-art.

He slipped Serenity's card into his deck. Her card would be out of place in his Occult deck, but that didn't matter to him. Then he handed his deck to the gang leader as they met in the middle of the path. They shuffled each other's deck and handed them back.

"Ryou Bakura." Bakura stated his name respectfully to his opponent.

"People call me Cobra. I'm the Cobras' leader afterall."

This disgruntled Bakura. He'd naturally assumed this guy was a real jerk, but this was just blatantly rude. "I don't care what people call you or what you're the leader of. I want to know your name."

The Cobra leader looked at him, surprised. He, like everyone else, had underestimated this kid. Usually, he'd just sneer, but he was a bit surprised. "Tom Collins."

Bakura nodded curtly and took a coin out of his pocket. "Your call." Bakura flipped the coin in the air and caught it.

"Heads."

He removed his hand. Heads. Collins would go first.

They both turned and walked back to their spots on opposite sides of the path. Serenity clasped her hands in a pleading gesture as Bakura turned to face his opponent. Bakura suddenly tensed, and Serenity prayed that his nerves weren't getting the best of him. That was, in fact, not the case. A dark, smug voice was present in the back of his mind, although it wasn't trying to take control... not now... but it had taken an interest in Bakura now that he'd found he had underestimated his lighter side.

/I could wipe that conceited smirk off that pansy's face, hikari./ The dark voice hissed evilly.

/Leave. You have no place here./

/I would like nothing better than to send that Cobra-bastard straight to the Shadow Realm.../

/This isn't your fight./

/You and your honor, hikari.../

But the tombraider decided to let it lie. He said nothing more as his hikari faced his opponent with a determined eye. Then the inevitable words from both mouths:

"Let's duel."

Their duel disks turned on as they put their shuffled decks in their disks. They each had 2000 lifepoints.

Bakura drew five cards to his hand, carefully calculating every possible move. A strategy game was more up his alley than a fistfight in a cavern. If he could win a fistfight against three other men, then he could surely win at Duel Monsters. His analytical mind was whirring over his choices:

Destiny Board- F

Change of Heart

Mystical Elf (800/2000)

Dark Spirit of the Silent

Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams (1300/1800)

The Destiny Board was quite obviously his best bet, although it was an incredibly difficult move to pull off. However, Bakura knew that it was very possible. Mentally, he noted gleefully that in his first hand, he had managed to draw both his favorite card, Change of Heart, and Serenity's card, Mystical Elf.

Tom "Cobra" Collins grinned smugly from across the field. "Too bad for you that I drew an amazing hand. I estimate that I'll defeat you in seven turns."

Bakura just smiled back. "Is that all? Because I think I'll defeat you in five."

Collins' smirk faltered. There was no bluff behind Bakura's words. He had been completely serious. Collins silently wondered if this kid was a better duelist than he had suspected. "H-how is that?"

The white-haired boy opposite him just shook his head lightly. "Oh, you'll see."

Bakura's opponent fidgeted with the red and yellow signature bandanna around his head. He frowned at his cards wondering what on earth the albino was up to. He spun his duel disk and lay down his monster. "I summon Witch of the Black Forest (1100/1200) in Attack Mode. And I end my turn."

Bakura inwardly laughed. Collins was playing it close to the sidelines. Of course, being safe was a good thing, but Bakura appreciated the novelty of taking risks. "I play the trap card Destiny Board." He threw down his duel disk and a hologram of the Destiny Board along with the letter F appeared on the field. Now with the Destiny Board, Collins only had five turns to try to beat Bakura, but Bakura knew it wasn't impossible for an opponent to cook up a way to beat the Destiny Board. However, if he predicted Collins correctly, he wouldn't worry about the Destiny Board until it was too late. He'd rather try to beat Bakura before the five turns were up than to try to destroy the Destiny Board.

Recognition of Bakura's trap card came crashing down around Collins' head. He mouthed silently in horror for a moment before he could regain his smug composure. However, he was still shaken. He had to act fast if he was going to win... "Are you done yet, Brit-boy?"

"I also summon Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams (1300/1800) in Attack Mode." Bakura announced as he once again threw down his duel disk and the hologram of his monster appeared on the field. "And I lay one card face down to end my turn." He lay down the trap card Dark Spirit of the Silent and waited.

Serenity beamed at the brave British boy standing in front of her. She was impressed by the Destiny Board move, and she stared at Bakura as if wanting to telepathically tell him that she had complete faith in him. Judging by the obscene grumbles from the Cobras, Serenity could discern that they were not very happy with the way their leader was being beaten.

Collins looked at his hand. The Destiny Board could wait. Right now, he had to be able to beat the Gross Ghost (1300/1800), which had 200 attack points over his Witch of the Black Forest (1100/1200). He began to slowly regain the shards of his shattered ego. "So... albino... what was your name? Bakura? You may soon see that I have no real strategy other than to steal my opponent's strategy."

Bakura narrowed his eyes as Tom "Cobra" Collins continued.

"I play the magic card Exchange. We both have to take one card from each other's hand."

'So that's what he meant.' Bakura looked forlornly at his hand. He had liked his hand exactly the way it was, but there was no alternative.

Serenity crossed her fingers and bit her lip as the two duelists approached one another and offered each other their hands.

Bakura didn't see all that much in Collins' hand that he desired. However, the Dark Elf caught his eye. She was the dark twin of Serenity's Mystical Elf, and if he assumed correctly, the two of them could be fused together to create an incredibly powerful monster. He chose the Dark Elf and found that Collins had decided on taking his Change of Heart. Bakura frowned at the loss of his personal favorite card, but he was also relieved that he hadn't failed Serenity by losing the Mystical Elf.

They walked back to their places lost in thoughts. Collins broke through Bakura's mental barrier with a yell: "I summon the Celtic Guardian (1400/1200) in Attack Mode. Celtic Guardian, attack his Gross Ghost !"

The Celtic Guardian charged, holding his sword high and slashed Bakura's monster clear in half. This was followed by the inevitable noise of Bakura's lifepoints going down. The score was now 1900/2000.

Serenity clenched her fists nervously, but Bakura just shook his head. He was far from losing control of this duel, and he drew a card from his deck. "The Destiny Board allows me to place down the Magic Card Spirit Message I," This appeared on the field next to the F. "And I summon Portrait's Secret (1200/1500) and Mystical Elf (800/2000) both in Defense Mode."

Serenity's eyes lit up as her card was summoned to the field, chanting serenely in the center of the field.

Collins just smirked, feeling as if he'd won already. "Nice monsters, but they'll be no match for this..." He lay down a card. "I summon Sangan (1000/600) in Attack Mode, but I will sacrifice my Celtic Warrior and Sangan to summon Composite Beast Gaazeto in Attack Mode!" He laughed, then stared straight into Bakura's eyes. "Gaazeto's attack points are equal to the number of attack points of the monsters I sacrificed, giving him an amazing 2400 attack points." Again, he laughed. "That is quite a bit more than either of your monsters, eh? I could attack you now, but I think I'd rather see your weak counter. Your move."

"Blast." Bakura muttered under his breath. "First, I play the magic card Spirit Message N." This appeared on the field making a FIN. He drew a card from his deck, and his eyes widened slightly. "I believe that I can beat your Gaazeto. Here. I summon the Dark Elf (2000/800) in Attack Mode, and I use my newly-drawn Polymerization card to merge the Mystical Elf and Dark Elf into the Cosmo Queen in Attack Mode!"

A burst of light made everyone present cover their eyes, and when they had the courage to look up again, an impressive monster was on the field: Cosmo Queen (2900/2450). Serenity gasped in awe.

Collins stared in horror as he couldn't help but think: _'This kid is damned good.'_

"Cosmo Queen, take care of his Composite Beast Gaazeto." Bakura whispered, but the command was still heard by all. The monster sent forth a blazing attack of light, making Collins' powerful beast vanish into thin air. The score was now 1900/1500.

"That's quite a comeback, boss," one of the Cobras said to Tom Collins.

"Shut up. I can still beat him." But Collins was visibly shaken. "I believe it's my turn?"

Bakura nodded, but his eyes were blank as if he was listening to something else. Actually, he was.

/I never thought you had it in you, hikari.../

/You never gave me a chance./

The thief's spirit chuckled evilly. /Why should I give you the chance, eh? Your weak, emotional.../

/You ruined my life, yami./

/Where would you be without me?/ The voice snapped.

/Someplace happy and much better off.../

Bakura was forced to come to when Collins made his move.

"I use _your own_ Change of Heart to take control of your Cosmo Queen for one turn." Collins smiled at his ingenious plan. "Cosmo Queen, attack his Portrait's Secret!"

Bakura held up his hand. "Not so fast, ol' chap. I reveal my trap card, Dark Spirit of the Silent. This stops Cosmo Queen from attacking and forces your Witch of the Black Forest to attack instead."

Once more, Collins was at a loss. _'This isn't possible. How can this kid get the best of me? I'm the Cobra leader.'_ He could only watch as his Witch with 1100 attack points attacked Bakura's Portrait's Secret, which had 1500 defense points. The Witch of the Black Forest was easily destroyed, and Collins stared with wide eyes as his life points were depleted once again. The score was an impressive: 1900/1100.

"My turn." Bakura lay down the Spirit Message A- FINA. Even without the Destiny Board, he was fairly sure he could have won this duel. He calmly drew a card from his deck. "I lay one card face down on the field and end my turn. Your Change of Heart is also over, so I regain my Cosmo Queen."

Grasping at straws, Collins really began to sweat. His temple was boiling. Afterall, his whole image was on the line. "I summon Humanoid Slime (800/2000) in Defense Mode." His grotesque monster appeared on the field making Serenity wrinkle her nose in disgust. "And I will bring back my Composite Beast Gaazeto using my magic card Premature Burial..."

"One moment." Bakura said raising an eyebrow. "I reveal my face-down trap card, Just Desserts. This deducts 500 of your lifepoints for every monster you have on the field. You have one, so you only lose 500." There was that stomach-clenching noise of lifepoints dropping. "In itself, that's not so bad, but you need 800 lifepoints in order to activate Premature Burial, which you no longer have. So I believe that you can no longer bring back your Gaazeto"

Collins opened his mouth and closed it with a click. It was true. The score was now 1900/600. _'This is not happening.'_ But it was. Oh, it was...

"I do believe that it's my move again." Bakura lifted the Spirit Message L out of his deck and laid it on his duel disk. "I wasn't bluffing when I said I'd beat you in five turns." The L appeared on the field next to the rest of his Destiny Board. FINAL. It had worked. There was a blinding flash of light, and Collins' lifepoints immediately dropped to 0.

"YOU DID IT!"

Bakura whirled in time to feel Serenity throw her slender arms about his neck. Her moon-like honey-colored eyes were beaming up at him, and Bakura just couldn't help but smile.

"Bakura, you're the best."

"I'm not that wonderful."

"Oh, don't be so humble. You're positively amazing!"

Bakura couldn't keep the heat from rising to his face. "Thanks, love."

The petite girl leaned her face close to his and batted her eyelashes against his pale cheek. Bakura was left puzzled by her sweet gesture. "What are you doing?" He said it not unkindly, but just wondering.

She looked up at him, beaming with her trademark innocence. "Don't tell me you've never had butterfly kisses before..."

"No. Never."

Again, she leaned into him and fluttered her eyelashes. The sensation was much like that of a butterfly beating its tiny wings against his cheek, and Bakura found that he was lost among his own thoughts. Absently, he stroked her silky hair, which had long since fallen out of its braid. However, the peace was short-lived:

/Good show, hikari./

Bakura immediately tensed, involuntarily pulling Serenity closer as if wanting to protect her.

The dark voice chuckled through their mind link. /You're becoming more like me everyday./

/I am nothing like you./ Bakura replied bitterly. /And I never will be./

/Well, you sure share my taste in women.../

Bakura threw the most venomous emotions he could through their link at his darker side while, at the same time, he circled his arms about Serenity's waist tightly. So his yami had been watching the beautiful redhead. He should have known. _'Oh fates, what am I supposed to do? I can't just leave her, but every minute I'm with her puts her in danger.'_

"Take your card and leave, Brit-boy," Tom "Cobra" Collins snarled as he threw Bakura's Change of Heart card on the ground.

As he bent to retrieve his favorite card, Bakura kept one arm around Serenity's waist. He'd won, yes, but he still didn't trust them with Serenity. Not one bit. But then, he probably would never trust anyone with Serenity. _'I'm getting just as bad as Joey...'_ Bakura chuckled to himself.

Silently, the silver-haired boy held out the duel disk and Collins' Dark Elf card. The latter snatched them away and glared at the kid who had defeated him. "Get out of here, albino. You and 'Red' there," he gestured at the redheaded Serenity, "Just get outta here before I change my mind."

Bakura gritted his teeth. That was too far. "You cannot go back on your word. I did win, so you are obligated to allow us both through. You yourself said..."

"I KNOW WHAT I SAID!" Collins screeched irrationally. His pride had been permanently slashed. "JUST GO!!!" He whirled and took off into the woods with the rest of the Cobras trailing behind him, sniggering at their leader's terrible beating.

Serenity and Bakura were left standing alone in the middle of the path with no light other than the lamppost. A silence descended upon them as the light in the lamppost flickered wildly before recomposing.

"Thank you." Serenity whispered.

Bakura gazed at the fragile girl he was holding about the waist. He felt suddenly embarrassed. A week ago, he would never have dared hold any girl like this. But Serenity... It just felt right- like it was meant to be that way. "It was nothing, love."

He made as if to draw away from her, but she just touched his arm gently, which made him reconsider.

"It wasn't _nothing._ You really are a powerful duelist." Serenity beamed at him, loving the way the lamplight made his white hair shine in an unearthly way.

Bakura shook his head. "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are, Bakura. You may not think so, but I've lived with Joey for a while now. I know a good duelist when I see one, and you are certainly one of the best." She grinned at him. "But honestly, that's the- what- third time you've saved my life this week?"

"You make it sound like I'm inhuman." Bakura winked at her flirtatiously.

Her response was a giggle then she looked longingly at the gates to the village. "I wonder why they walled this place off."

Bakura followed her gaze. "Well, it's not the best location, that's for sure." He looked over at Serenity. "I don't know, are you ready for civilization again?"

The petite girl sighed heavily looking at her shoes. "You know, I'm not really sure. A few hours ago, I would have said 'yes' while hopping up and down... But now, I don't know. This whole living-in-the-wild business has started to grow on me. You must think I'm crazy."

"Actually, no. I think I feel the same way." They exchanged a look. "Well, shall we?"

Serenity paused, then- "Yes."

###################################################################

Unbeknownst to the seemingly perfect couple, the Cobras were holding a meeting of their own with an unexpected guest.

"Just who the hell are you?" Tom Collins yelled heatedly at the icy green-eyed man who had appeared before him.

"My name is of no importance to a gangster like you." The man flexed his wiry arm before him. "I'm looking for an albino punk and his girl. He took something from me that I want back." _'He took everything. My pride, my men... He'll pay.'_

One of the Cobras muttered lowly, "That albino."

The green-eyed man's head snapped over to stare icily at the poor idiot who had the nerve to speak up. "You know him." It wasn't a question.

Collins leaned against a tree, silently brewing all his anger.

Another Cobra snickered at his defeated leader. "Only kid that ever beat you, boss."

With a furious yell, Collins leapt at the traitorous Cobra- fists raised. He was prepared to beat that turncoat into the ground for ever mentioning the proverbial beating he'd taken at the hands of the albino kid. But he never made it. Instead, he was grabbed from behind and slammed against a tree.

Groaning, Collins' knees buckled, and he was forced to grab a gnarled tree branch for support. The icy man glared at the Cobra leader with chilling laughter in his eyes. Those green eyes- Collins felt a shiver run down his spine.

"So," the wiry man ran a hand through his greasy black locks, "he beat you."

Collins practically spat out his answer. "Yeah. What the hell is your problem? Leave me alone."

"Relax, punk." The green-eyes were mocking him now. "He beat me too. And I want to see him pay. I'm guessing you'd like nothing more than to see the same thing, am I right?"

"You bet your life." Collins' eyes were lit with a sudden fire as he looked into the icy green pools of the man before him.

"Then I guess we have something in common." His green eyes focused on the sniveling gang leader before him. He hated everything that moved at that point, but he couldn't deny that there was strength in numbers. And this gangster knew where he the albino Brit was. "So I'm assuming you know where they are?"

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_Elenion: Wow. Do you guys have any idea how difficult it is to write a Duel Monsters duel? wipes brow Whew. It took me forever, and now my dad thinks I'm crazy because I sat for hours muttering about lifepoints and whatnot. Anyways... Well, feedback is always appreciated. Love you all!_


	6. Not Quite Out Of The Woods

**A TRAIN OF THOUGHTS**

_Elenion: Yep. I still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Now for "Reviewer Responses":_

_Lily of the Shadow- I guess we can commiserate. But you wrote an entire tournament? Wow. Also, thanks for the compliment. I try to update as much and as soon as I can... I can never promise anything, because writer's block is a fickle thing._

_SilentAngel014- Oh no, I never get tired of hearing from you. Quite the contrary, actually... It's great to hear your opinions on my writing. And go for it if you want to write your own. That would be great, and as long as you have fun writing it, it shouldn't be too hard. Hope to hear from you soon!_

_trueyamigirlfriend- Thanks for the FYI. I'm obviously not an expert when it comes to Duel Monsters... Ack. I don't see any real way to fix it without rewriting the entire duel, so I guess I'll just leave it with the mistakes. Thanks, though. I'll make sure that won't happen again. Live and learn, right? Anyways, glad you liked it (even with my goofs)!_

_Elenion: I apologize for the italics... Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't... Urgh. Right now, I'm crossing my fingers that they'll work, but just in case they don't, all thoughts from now on are in 'these'._

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**CHAPTER 6: Not Quite Out Of The Woods**

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you in unless I know your business here."

Bakura and Serenity exchanged exasperated glances. Wasn't it obvious why they wanted to be let in?

"We just want a place to spend the night, sir." Bakura tried to reason with the nasally man that guarded the village like a hawk.

"It is against regulations to let in tourists after 8pm." The nasal voice came from the other side of the gate.

Bakura bit his tongue and muttered, "Great Scot..."

Serenity shivered in the bone-chilling wind that had picked up recently. "P-please sir. It's g-getting c-cold."

The British teen glanced at her worriedly and pulled her gently closer to him giving her his warmth. All the aches he'd acquired over the past few days were starting to really catch up with him.

"Well, that's not my problem, little lady. Sado City does not accept travelers after 8pm."

The auburn-haired girl was on the verge of tears. "Couldn't you j-just b-bend the rules this once? _P-please!_" Her nails dug into Bakura's arm, but he didn't protest. They were both aching, tired, hungry... The list went on and on to infinity.

Not even Serenity's heart-wrenching plea seemed to get through the rule-freak gate guard. "Look, I'm very sorry, but I've been instructed..."

Bakura ground his teeth together in frustration. How the fates must hate him. He'd come this far to getting Serenity away from harm, and now an amateur sentry was standing in their way.

"Horus! Horus! What are you doing?" It was a woman's voice talking to the nasally voice behind the gate.

Without hesitation, the gates were flung open. A short, old man was standing next to a hammy middle-aged woman. The woman took one look at the two shivering teens clutching each other desperately, and she turned to the old man and began giving him a piece of her mind.

"For Pete's sake, Horus! Look at them! They're practically _dying_ from the cold! _How_ on earth do they present _any _harm?!?!"

Horus backed away from this woman as if he was a child being scolded by his mother. "But... but the rules say..."

"Oh, bother the rules, Horus! This is supposed to be an accepting town." The hammy woman rotated so that she could look at the two teens again. "I'm so sorry. Come on in, and welcome to Sado City."

Hesitantly, the two teens stepped past the gate, which was immediately shut behind them. Obviously, there had been problems with criminals in the past. Bakura just fervently prayed that no one was out looking for them.

The teens both silently observed the gated town. It wasn't well lit. In fact, everything seemed dim, as if it wasn't quite up to full power. However, it didn't really matter as long as the power was working. There were restaurants and stores, however, Sado City seemed much more like a town than an actual city.

Bakura turned to the hammy woman who had come to their rescue. "Could you please tell us where we might find a hotel?"

The middle-aged woman smiled thinking '_You don't find polite teenagers often nowadays.' _"Sure. There's only one here, the Sado City Inn. It's just down this street here next to the diner."

"Thank you," Bakura still kept his arm about Serenity's thin waist as they started off, "Is checking in all right with you?"

Serenity looked up, surprised. "Why, yes. Of course. You don't need to ask me; I trust you."

###################################################################

In the darkness outside the gates, there were many figures milling. They were, in fact, preparing to scale the wall, as no one in their right mind would let the Cobras into their town willingly.

Collins fingered the Duel Monsters deck in his pocket grimly. "I wish I could learn his weakness..."

The green-eyed man gazed steadily at the gate, assessing it. "You already know it."

"Stop speaking in riddles, man."

The icy green eyes focused on him. "He humiliated and defeated you, correct? Well, let me ask you something: Did you threaten that girl?"

The head of a certain Tom Collins shot up. "Uhh... how did you-?"

"This albino punk has some power I don't understand," he winced at his own words as if he'd received a slap across the face, "but I do know this: if you can get to that girl, then you can get to him. I promised him his heart would be his downfall, and I always keep my promises."

###################################################################

"Why are people looking at us like we're aliens?" Serenity whispered to the white-haired teen walking beside her.

He gazed around calmly. It was true. People kept stopping their business and staring at them. Then it hit him.

Bakura chuckled lightly. "Well, we are survivors of a train wreck, Serenity, and let me tell you, we really look it."

Serenity's jaw dropped. In all the commotion of the past few days, she had barely even given thought to the condition of her clothes or body. "Oh. Right." She couldn't deny it. Her jeans and shirt were ripped and dirt-covered not to mention still damp, and her hair was windblown and had leaves here and there in its auburn depths. "I really wish I could have a shower about now."

At that moment, they walked past the display of a clothing retailer.

"Um, Bakura? Do you think that we could..."

"... get some new clothes?" He finished for her. "Good idea." Luckily, he'd kept his wallet in his jacket pocket while he was on the train.

Then Serenity realized something and groaned.

"What is it?"

"I... well... you see... all of my money was in my duffel bag... and that bag is miles away from me at the moment..."

Bakura couldn't help but smile. "Don't worry. I still have my wallet."

"Oh, no. I really couldn't." She blushed.

"Oh, yes. You really could." Using her waist, he steered her into the store firmly.

Fifteen minutes later, the two teens stood before a reception desk in the Sado City Inn lobby, holding a bag with two outfits. It was a well-polished hotel, and if the lighting had been better, the floors could probably have been used as mirrors.

"Welcome to the Sado City Inn," the receptionist said with a flourish from behind her counter, "One room?"

Bakura nodded. "Yes, please."

"Would you like a second bathroom for your wife?"

Both teens jumped visibly and blushed wildly. "Oh, uh, she's not my... um..." He and Serenity exchanged embarrassed glances.

"Yes, yes." The receptionist's eyes were laughing good-naturedly at them. "Would you like a second bathroom?"

Bakura, thoroughly flustered, realized that the way he was still holding Serenity around the waist might have led the receptionist to the conclusion that they were married. "Uh... no, thank you."

"Can I have your name please?"

"Ryou Bakura."

"And how long will you be staying?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well, we'll see how many nights you stay, and you can pay when you're ready to check out, ok?"

Bakura nodded.

"One moment," she typed something into her computer swiftly and instantly produced two card room keys, "Here you are. You are in Room 510, which is on the fifth floor. The elevator is to your right."

"Thank you."

The receptionist sighed watching them walk away together. '_Ah, young love... It's so obvious. Why can't they see it at all?'_

Room 510. It was a nice sized room, and the cleanliness couldn't be denied. It was just a regular hotel room with a balcony in the back, a television, phone, small bathroom, two small beds...

"So this is our home away from home." Serenity said to herself.

He shrugged, and his eyes focused on the phone. "Do you want to call Joey?"

Serenity's head whipped around. "Yes!"

The British teen nodded his head at the phone, and the delicate girl shot over there with the hopes of contacting her brother. She picked up the receiver as Bakura took off his plaid jacket. "Um, Bakura?"

"Yes, love?"

"There's no dial tone." She looked at the phone as if it had insulted her.

"Say what?" That was weird.

"This town is starting to give me the creeps." Serenity whispered as she put down the phone.

"It's not so bad," Bakura sighed gingerly touching the raw skin on his forehead, "Listen, I'll go ask the receptionist what's wrong with the phone, and you take that shower that you wanted so desperately."

Serenity smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Bakura."

"Anything for you." Bakura left one room key on the table next to the phone and took the other. Everything was so dim... It was like the power supply was only working half-heartedely. Or the power supply wasn't efficient enough to meet the electrical demands of the town.

"Excuse me," Bakura approached the receptionist at her desk after exiting the elevator, "Our phone doesn't work."

"Oh, I'm sorry, sir. I thought you knew. All communication and media are down. That includes television, telephones, pagers, you name it."

Bakura cocked his head to the side. "Why is that?"

The receptionist touched her earring in what appeared to be a concerned gesture. "It's because of that storm. It blew down all of our communication links. We're lucky to have any power at all, really..."

"Let me guess, you have a backup generator for this town?"

"Yes, sir. But it's not quite enough for the entire town, so everything is currently operating at half-power."

'_So that's why all the lights are dim.' _"Do you know how long it will be until communications are set back up?"

The receptionist shrugged and tugged on her earring a bit more. "Sado City is not the center of attention at this point, I'm afraid. They'll probably have to rebuild the roads and train tracks around here before they get to the electricity. That storm destroyed just about everything around here." She sighed. "So my estimate for when communications resume is probably three months."

"Is there really no way at all? My... friend, she really needs to talk to her brother and tell him we're not hurt..."

The receptionist just shook her well-groomed head sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Mr. Bakura, but there's really nothing I can do." She gazed with pity at the good-looking teenager before her.

"I wish there was something I could do to make her feel better," Bakura sighed helplessly.

"Pink roses."

Puzzled, Bakura looked at the receptionist. "Excuse me?"

The receptionist smiled lightly. "I have a strange talent for predicting the type of flowers girls like. For that girl that was with you, I think she likes pink roses."

Bakura smiled gratefully. "Thanks. That should help."

###################################################################

Serenity slipped on her new clothes feeling perfectly clean and healthy. The water hadn't been as hot as she would have liked, even though it had been as hot as the faucet would go... but nevertheless, the shower had made her feel like a new person. Calmly, she buttoned up the front of her new pink blouse. Yellow bruises blemished her abdomen, but they didn't represent much pain anymore. She continued dressing and pulled on her new jeans. Her hair was fully dry for the first time in days thanks to the blow dryer, and the dirt smudges that had blemished her peachy complexion had literally gone down the drain.

Sighing, she opened the bathroom door. She felt like there was nothing missing in her life- except that she wanted to assure Joey that she was doing ok.

Bakura was sitting on the edge of the bed closer to the balcony. From the way he was moving, he seemed to be hiding something in a paper bag on his lap. He looked up and instantly mesmerized Serenity with those pure, radiating eyes of his. "The receptionist said that there's no way to communicate outside of the town."

Serenity coughed lightly. "I should have known, I suppose." She cocked her head curiously at the bag on the British teen's lap, but she decided to say nothing. If he didn't want her to know, she wouldn't ask. "Well, it's your turn for the shower now. Works wonders."

Despite himself, Bakura's eyes were looking at the petite girl from head to toe. She looked stunning. Heck, she always looked stunning.

Serenity began to comb out the remaining knots in her hair using one of the cheap, complimentary combs the hotel had left in the bathroom. Knots were the one drawback to having such amazingly long hair. Bakura carefully rested the bag on his bed and grabbed his newly bought clothes so that he could change after his shower.

When the door closed, Serenity couldn't help but stare at the mysterious bag he'd left. She was itching with innocent curiosity, but she decided to leave Bakura to his own devices. Serenely, she laid the comb on her own bed and opened the door to the balcony.

###################################################################

Bakura sighed contentedly and observed the bruises on his lean muscles in the mirror. Serenity had been right. That shower had worked wonders. He emerged feeling refreshed and clean. Having such long white hair, he'd been forced to use the blow dryer as well. Joey was always getting on his case about that- telling him that he should get a hair cut. Bakura never listened.

Careful of his left arm, which had stung bitterly upon contact with the water, Bakura slipped on his new outfit- a green collared shirt, yellow sweater, and jeans.

Newly dressed, the albino teen walked out of the bathroom to find Serenity leaning on the rail of the balcony looking over the valley forest. "Hi," he whispered as he leaned against the rail next to her.

"Hey," she replied and smiled at him. "The clouds are gone. You can actually see the stars tonight."

Indeed you could. They were shining like there was no tomorrow. "They're beautiful." '_Just like you, Serenity...'_

"Joey used to say that you could tell stories from the stars. I never knew what to make of that. What do you think?"

"I was told the same thing by my father. He used to tell Amane, my sister, and I tales about them that he picked up as we traveled." Bakura thought for a moment and then pointed to a well-defined constellation. "That one, for example. In Egypt, there was a tale about a healer. She refused to treat the pharaoh, because her father was deathly ill and needed her care. For that, she was banished. Her father died because she was forced to leave. The healer cried so bitterly that the gods took pity on her, and they transformed her into a constellation so that she could hover above Egypt and watch over the rest of her family from the heavens."

Serenity rested her head on Bakura's shoulder happily. "That was lovely, Bakura. Do you know any others?"

Bakura draped his arm gently over her slim shoulders, allowing her to rest her head more comfortably on his chest. Now, she felt so fragile- like a flower that could be blown over by the slightest breeze. Bakura's stomach growled, causing him to chuckle. "Yes, I know others, but I think we'd better grab a bite first."

The slender girl nodded in agreement. It would be nice to be able to sit down and really enjoy a meal. But part of her didn't want to leave. It was so peaceful here, just standing on the balcony with Bakura. Neither of them moved, despite their mutual agreement that they needed nourishment. What had at one time been a bitter wind was now a cool breeze. White and auburn hair mingled together in the light wind current as the couple stood drinking in the moonlight.

"Bakura?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Do you..." she swallowed before restarting, "Do you think we'll ever get home?"

Moonlight danced over his pale face as he looked at the small girl leaning against his chest. Without really comprehending what he was doing, Bakura lightly turned her face towards his with his hand. He stroked her cheek comfortingly, and rested his forehead on hers. "Of course we will."

Serenity thrilled at the touch of his hand on her face and his forehead leaning upon hers. Her breathing picked up slightly. She felt like she could just die then and there. Blissfully, she toyed with his silky silver locks. It was strange, but she felt completed- like she'd found the other half of herself.

Feeling self-conscious- that she wasn't good enough-, Serenity dropped her gaze, only to feel Bakura's hand gently lift her chin so that they were once again staring at each other- with stars reflected in their eyes.

Everything Serenity had ever wanted in a guy was standing right before her, and it made her knees weak. Astronomically weak.

Bakura sighed thinking, '_I don't deserve you, Serenity. I could never be all that you need. And I'm a permanent hazard to you. I couldn't let you get hurt, especially by me.' _He lightly kissed her forehead and pulled away sadly. He didn't seem to notice the dejected look that Serenity had in her eyes when he pulled away. However, the optimistic girl recovered quickly.

"Well, I guess we should go eat." Bakura said reluctantly.

###################################################################

Collins dropped to his feet on the other side of the wall. He adjusted the signature Cobra band around his head and found himself staring in fear at the back of the vengeful wiry man. There was no way to understand what he was thinking. He was so cold and withdrawn. But Collins was willing to band with him if he could get his pride back.

"They'll be at a hotel?" the icy man turned and looked at Collins.

"Yeah. There's only one. Shouldn't be too hard to find."

"And how do we find their room?"

Collins shook his head. "Send one of my guys in to ask. The receptionist never suspects anyone for anything."

###################################################################

Bakura slid into the booth, opposite of Serenity. They were in the Sado City Diner. It had been the only place open at 11pm, and it certainly wouldn't have been Bakura's first choice had there been any other.

Fidgeting, the silver-haired boy shifted nervously in his seat. '_If someone had told me that it would be this difficult to give a girl a dozen pink roses, I would have said that they were crazy.' _He carefully removed the roses from the paper bag they'd been in, under the table, so the girl across the table from him couldn't see.

Serenity was staring out the window, lost in her own thoughts. Her focus was soon changed when Bakura coughed lightly.

"Uh, Serenity, I-"

"Are you two ready to order?" A chubby, nerdy man chewing gum butted rudely into their conversation, causing Bakura to look away flustered. He'd just gathered enough courage to give her the roses and then this imbecile had to come along.

Serenity smiled politely. "Um, you see, we didn't get any menus."

The waiter, Pete by his nametag, grunted in acknowledgment. "Uh huh. Well, do you have any idea what you want?"

"Eeh... Not really. I was hoping to see a menu, if it's not too much trouble."

Pete shook his head and scratched his double chin. "Just order, wench."

Something inside Bakura snapped. "If you can't be polite, then let us have a different waiter."

The waiter looked at Bakura as if he were a fly and fingered the pen behind his ear. "Ok, ok. I'm sorry. I'll get you some menus." He walked away haughtily.

Serenity smiled weakly at Bakura across the table. "We haven't met many nice people lately, have we?" She sighed deeply. "I really wish I could call my brother."

Bakura nodded, gathering his courage again. He was about to open his mouth when-

"Ok. Here're your menus." Pete slapped them on the table.

'_Gods, what is this?' _Bakura thought bitterly while he looked over the hand-worn menu. There really wasn't much on the menu worthy of attention. Bakura twirled the bouquet of roses between his forefinger and thumb.

"Have you chosen yet?" Pete slapped his pen in front of Serenity causing the unsuspecting girl to jump and Bakura to clench his jaw.

"Ummm... How about a cheeseburger?"

"Mm hm," Pete wrote a few scribbles on his pad of paper, "Drink?"

"Sprite, please," Serenity answered meekly looking at her hands.

"For you?"

Bakura had half a mind to yell at this ignorant waiter that he needed a reality check, but he decided against it. Instead, he replied stiffly, "A hamburger with no onions and a Sprite."

Pete smacked his gum with that characteristic attitude of his. "Mm... kay."

Bakura dismissed the waiter who was now retreating to the kitchens with their order. He inhaled feeling the butterflies flutter in his stomach. "Erm, Serenity?" Bakura shifted in his seat. '_Why could I lay my life on the line for her without thinking twice but I can't give her flowers?'_

"Yes?" Serenity stared at him with her shining eyes.

Bakura lifted the pink roses from beneath the table and held them out to her, blushing. "I thought you might like these."

Serenity gasped and took the bouquet tenderly. "Pink roses? How did you know that these were my favorite?"

The white-haired teen smiled with relief and noted that he needed to profusely thank the hotel receptionist. "Lucky guess."

Serenity looked at the boy across from him with wonder in her lovely eyes. "You shouldn't have, Bakura."

His response was a smile as his analytical mind noticed that the ravishing color of the roses matched the cute blush spreading on her cheeks. He had successfully cheered up his angel. "There's just one thing missing." Bakura laughed lightly, and removed one rose from the bouquet. Gently, he tucked it between her feathery soft hair and her ear. "There now." He leaned back to observe the delicate girl with the pink rose tucked in her ear.

She smiled wholeheartedly- a smile that could have melted Bakura's heart then and there. But then it faltered.

Someone was smacking their gum around noisily.

Bakura slowly rotated his head to see the obnoxious Pete standing over them with amusement. When he found he'd been caught snooping, Pete laughed. "Way to go, loverboy."

"Bugger off," Bakura snapped, which was uncharacteristic for him.

"'Bugger off'? This isn't Britain, you know."

Serenity was on the verge of tears. "Just go away!" she cried, distressed.

Pete just laughed.

"Do you make a habit of making people miserable?" Bakura hissed, tensing immediately when a voice entered the back of his mind.

/Want me to send him to the Shadow Realm?/

/No! No one deserves that./

/You're too righteous, hikari./

/You're too heartless, yami./

"Your food's ready," Pete growled, slamming their plates and glasses down on the table, succeeding in frightening the poor girl even further. He smirked at Serenity, who was choking back tears, before he turned on his heel and left.

Serenity looked at Bakura and he touched her hand under the table to reassure her. "That... jerk..." the redhead moaned to herself.

Bakura nodded sympathetically, studying the bubbles in his sprite diligently. "It's always someone or something... Unfortunately, there will always be people who make times positively spiffing..." His voice dripped with disdainful sarcasm.

The girl across from him giggled. "I love your 'positively spiffing' accent."

Bakura genuinely smiled back at her. He fingered the Duel Monsters deck in his jeans' pocket and then realized something. "Here. I should give you your card back." Carefully holding the Mystical Elf card between his forefinger and thumb, he offered it back to her.

Serenity just shook her head. "No. You keep it."

"But Joey gave-"

"I know. I want you to have it. You never know when it may come in handy." Serenity twirled a pink rose in her fingers absently.

"You really want me to have your favorite card?" Bakura stared in shock at the Mystical Elf. It had been a real lifesaving card in the last duel he'd played, and there was no doubt that it could be again.

The auburn-haired girl nodded.

"Wicked!" Bakura exclaimed joyfully in his trademark British dialect. It sure seemed like he'd been reverting to British slang a lot lately. He slipped the card back in his Occult Deck, where it was an obvious sore thumb- a light elf against the dark spirits of his deck. It didn't matter. The Mystical Elf had easily become one of his favorite cards- for more reasons than one.

Serenity grinned elfishly at her friend's sudden outburst, but then it was her turn to become serious. She sighed and stared at the cheeseburger in front of her. "Do you ever wish that you were someone else? Or that maybe, just maybe, you could change one thing about yourself?"

Across the table from her, Bakura's eyebrows raised in surprise. He did indeed wish that he could change something about him... Or rather, be rid of a certain part of him.

Before Bakura could put in a word, Serenity continued. "I just feel so inadequate at times, so unacceptable. And maybe if I could change something about myself, I could break free from that feeling."

She was giving Bakura her heart to fix- with all her insecurities and problems. "What could you possibly want to change about yourself? You're so perfect just the way you are." Bakura squeezed her hand over the table.

In slight surprise, Serenity's soft honey-brown eyes met his. "I'm far from perfect..."

Bakura shook his head wisely. "Everyone has something that they want to change about themselves. It's just natural, I suppose. But Serenity- you have nothing to worry about. If it was up to me, I wouldn't change one single thing about you." He smiled.

Serenity was in slight awe as she smiled back. Bakura could be so insecure at times, and yet, when all was said and done, he was mature far beyond the mere teenage years he had as experience. "Thanks Bakura."

"It's true, love. Believe me, you're angelic." And she was... She was sweet and innocently beautiful. The real capper was that she didn't even realize just how wonderfully perfect she was.

Serenity smiled- her ability to bring out the best in people, even herself- began shining through again at his comforting words, and she carefully lay down her roses so that she could reach for the bottle of ketchup. The night went on as if nothing bothered them...

While back at room 510 of the Sado City Hotel, two silent figures were sliding open the balcony door. They slid into their separate hiding places- one in the bathroom and one in the closet so they could lurk inside...

###################################################################

_Bring!_

Joey stared at the ceiling with bloodshot eyes as the phone rang. There was no will in him to pick it up. He rolled over onto his side as the words echoed in his head over and over again:_ "Sadly, they have yet to find any survivors..."_

"Why did it have ta be you, Ren?" Joey wailed to the wall. "It's not fair!" He slammed his fist into his bed.

_Bring!_

"WHY?"

_Bring!_

For the past day, Joey had locked himself inside his apartment. At his darkest moments, he had contemplated suicide, but each time something prevented him from taking the easy way out of all his troubles. He wouldn't let anyone in- no matter how hard they begged. Every time he saw one of his friends, memories of both his friend Bakura and his little sister came crashing painfully down into his skull. This was Joey at his worst. But he didn't give a damn. Not anymore...

The answering machine picked up with the usual message that Serenity had recorded that past year: _"Hello. You've reached Serenity and Joey Wheeler. We're currently unavailable, but if you leave a message, we'll get back to you as soon as possible."_

Joey choked at the sound of his sister's voice.

There was a beep, and Mai's voice could be heard. _"Joey? Joey I know you're there, and I know you can hear me. Pick up the phone. PLEASE! You have to get out of that apartment. You can't just stay there in denial for the rest of your life."_

Joey put a pillow over his head and tightly closed his eyes.

"_C'mon Joey. You can't hide from your life forever..." _Mai sighed in frustration. _"Fine. Don't answer, you insensitive jerk! But know this- Serenity wouldn't have wanted you to lose your friends and life just because she was gone." _Click. Then there was a dial tone.

Ever so slowly, Joey raised himself on his elbows, looking at the answering machine with wide eyes. What if Mai was right? Joey walked across the hall to the small room that had been his sister's. This was the one room in the apartment that hadn't been mercilessly destroyed when Joey had first come home. He had thrown anything against the walls he could get his hands on- in every room other than Serenity's.

The blonde wiped his tearstained eyes on the back of hand before he flicked the light switch.

It was still tidy- the way she always kept it. Joey had always liked her room. It was artsy- a collage of colors and designs. There were random drawings and paintings of hers everywhere on the walls- she'd always had a knack for that sort of thing- and her bookcase was full of those complicated novels that she always liked to read. There was no doubt that Serenity had gotten the brains in the family... She had a 4.0 for Pete's sake.

A sob ripped through Joey's throat. He threw himself on his sister's bed and inhaled rapidly. It still smelled like her- that sweet scent of rain in spring.

"Oh Gods, sis... I tried so hard ta protect ya... And now, I didn't even get ta say goodbye..." Joey sobbed guiltily into his sister's blue pillow that ironically had a pretty flower on its case- a forget-me-not.

###################################################################

Completely unaware of her brother's turmoil, Serenity smelled her roses as she and Bakura stood outside their hotel room. He was currently digging the room key out of his jeans pocket. He slid the card through the slot, and the couple entered the room not suspecting a thing.

'_The balcony door is open'. _Bakura's eyes were immediately drawn to that one small detail He had a photographic memory, and he knew for a fact that he'd closed the slider before they left. '_Something's wrong.' _

Serenity was walking over to the closet so that she could grab an extra blanket. Suddenly, Bakura grasped her arm and held a finger to his lips. He pointed to the crack beneath the closet door. It was dark, but it was still clear that something was moving inside the closet. Serenity's sweet, honey eyes widened in innocent alarm. Carefully, she mouthed, "What now?"

Bakura was studying the rest of the room. There was nothing here that he would really miss if he were forced to leave it behind. '_My old clothes are ripped beyond repair anyhow. They've seen better days, that's for sure.' _The same suspicious movement under the door to the bathroom caught his eye. There was no way to know how many of them there were, and he needed to get Serenity as far from harm as possible.

Stealing his courage, Bakura spoke, "I think I left my jacket at the diner."

Serenity caught on. It was better to be inconspicuous and act as if they didn't know what was happening. "We should go back and get it, then."

Bakura held the door open and they both forced themselves to walk calmly out into the hall. But as soon as the door clicked closed, Bakura grasped Serenity's hand in his own and practically dragged her towards the staircase. There was no time to waste with the elevator... Right as they turned the corner, Bakura could hear the door to room 510 slam open with a loud crack.

Feet pounding behind them...

Not caring whether or not he was heard, the silver-haired teen flung the door to the staircase open. It was a continuous, circular staircase, which Bakura would have found strange to find in a hotel had he been in any other circumstance than running for his life. Right at that moment, all that was passing through his mind was that he had to find any methods possible to stay one step ahead of the people chasing him.

_'There's got to be a faster way than to run down the stairs.'_

And there was. There was no time for second thoughts. Bakura just grabbed the little redhead around the waist and set her on the banister. He hopped up behind her and kicked off. The two went sliding around and around down the spiral staircase.

Serenity, who was positioned in front of Bakura, couldn't help but giggle as she took a joyride down the banister. _'Oh, big brother, if you could just see me now...' _Serenity's eyes widened slightly as the end of the banister came. She shut her eyes, leaned backwards into Bakura, and wrapped an arm around the back of his neck. She braced herself for whatever might happen.

But Bakura already had a plan. He wrapped his right arm around Serenity's waist tightly, and he stuck out his left arm towards the wall. His hand instantly grabbed a metal light fixture. Bakura inhaled sharply as his wounded arm was jerked violently back. But it wasn't a vain attempt; the couple immediately came to a standstill on the banister a few feet from its end.

Small waves of pain were coursing through Bakura's arm, but it didn't feel like the slash had reopened. Thankfully.

The two took a deep breath and tried to regain their composure, but they weren't given a chance. At the top of the spiral stairs, the door swung open. Bakura picked Serenity up and set her carefully down at the end of the stairs. "Go!" he whispered hastily, giving her a gentle push in the small of the back.

Serenity hurried over to the door, and gave Bakura a glance to make sure that he was coming. He jumped down from the banister and nodded at her to go ahead and open the door. The British boy was surprised to see that she was still clutching her bouquet of roses as if she'd never let go. Despite the occasion, the corners of Bakura's mouth turned upwards.

From the top of the stairs, Bakura heard a shout: "How the hell did Brit-boy get down the stairs so damn fast?!"

Bakura froze. He recognized that voice. Collins. _'Talk about a sore loser...' _

Feet were thundering down the staircase as Serenity flew through the door with Bakura only a step behind. No matter how much Bakura wanted to give Collins what he righteously deserved, he knew he couldn't. Not when Serenity was at risk...

Without warning, Serenity whirled around to face him. "Bakura!" She pointed at the open door to a storage closet.

Bakura thought about it. "Ok!" He followed Serenity into the small room and slammed the door closed. He twisted the deadbolt so that they were securely locked inside.

Serenity leaned against the wall, breathing rapidly. She was scared now. And with good reason. It seemed that everywhere they went, there was someone who wanted to pick a fight. And it also seemed that when that someone lost the fight, they decided to seek revenge.

Bakura stood with his head near the door. Listening. That was all he could do. After a short time, two distinct voices could be heard in the hall outside. One was Collins. The other was... Bakura couldn't quite place it...

"... and I'll make him pay. He's the only kid who ever beat me. And because of some girl too..."

Then it hit him. The raider. He'd come after him. Bakura seethed with anger. . Bakura's own words to the heartless man echoed in his mind: _"I will not kill you, but you will have to live with the knowledge that you have been beaten at your own game. And if you ever threaten my light in the dark again..."_

Outside the storage closet, the green-eyed man was actually feeling afraid. This kid had beaten him fearlessly... And that had been with three other men. This time, all he had was Collins. But he'd never admit he'd tasted fear... Not ever.

Serenity watched in horror as Bakura's hand moved towards the deadbolt. He was prepared to settle the score right now. _'This is the last time that man will ever come near Serenity...' _But there was a soft touch on his arm. All the anger left the white-haired boy as he gazed at the worried Serenity.

"Please... don't..." she whispered, "They're not worth it."

Bakura slowly considered. She was probably right. And revealing himself would put both of their lives in further jeopardy.

Serenity bit her lip, waiting for his answer.

Bakura closed his eyes and slowly nodded. "You're right." He sighed.

Serenity pulled him into a hug, still clutching her roses in one hand. In fact, she still had that one rose entwined in her hair. She silently wished that the flowers would never die or lose their radiant color. Her whole body tensed as the doorknob to the storage room was turned, but whoever it was got no farther than that because of the deadlock.

"This door's locked."

The icy voice snapped back. "Of course it is, punk. They usually lock storage closets in hotels."

The two voices continued to argue, as Serenity clutched desperately at Bakura's sweater. The boy could feel the smooth touch of rose petals on the back of his neck. _'She's still holding those?' _Bakura smiled to himself.

Outside the door, the two predators were in the midst of a heated argument.

Tom Collins had taken just about all he could from the mysterious, unnamed jerk who'd wanted revenge on the albino kid. "You think you're oh-so-high-and-mighty don't you? Well I've got news for you..."

"Don't undermine me, you common street punk..."

"I'm sick of you giving me orders!"

"Well, I'm sick of your complaining and amazing knack for screwing up!"

Suddenly, the enraged Collins pulled a gun out from his jacket, while green-eyes slid a small blade out from his boot. Before the boy could fire, the wiry man threw his blade.

Serenity whimpered as something large crashed into the door of the storage room. The impact, whatever it was, caused the entire door to shudder on its hinges. A moan escaped her throat as she realized what, or rather, who it was...

A hoarse voice came from outside the door. "You... you..."

It made her blood run cold, and the frightened girl buried her eyes into Bakura's neck. In response, Bakura rubbed her back soothingly, although inside, he was anxious. It seemed that once again, the enemy had decided to turn upon itself. This repetition unnerved the teen more than he cared to admit.

_BANG!_

Serenity gasped and dropped her roses on the floor. It was a gunshot this time.

Tears formed in her beautiful eyes, and Bakura could feel the moisture on his neck. She was mortified. And with reason... There was no way to tell whether they were dead or not. In truth, he really didn't want to find out. He needed an escape. And it presented itself.

A window. It was high up on the wall, but it was still there. And it was wide open allowing the chilly night air to blow through.

He hoisted Serenity up to the window so that she could crawl out. The little girl gasped as she remembered something, and she struggled to get down. Her roses. She'd dropped them. Hearing more noise outside the door, Bakura pushed her through. "Leave them," he whispered. He could always buy her new ones...

Crestfallen and forlorn, Serenity nodded and slipped out the window to drop gracefully and cat-like to the ground outside. Using the window ledge, Bakura pulled himself up and through the window. He landed on his feet and grabbed Serenity's hand. He wasn't quite sure where he would take her, but his only concern was that he had to remove her from the danger that seemed to follow them wherever they went.

Bakura heard a harsh shout followed by a chorus of voices all trying to talk at once. He had a feeling that they weren't friendly either. But where on earth could they hide in a town? The owners of those voices would be looking for them soon, if Bakura predicted correctly.

There! It was a heavily overgrown garden, and it presented an array of pleasing hiding places.

Serenity just followed Bakura, placing her utmost trust in him. He'd never failed her before, even when hope was bleakest.

A voice called to another from not so far away.

Bakura knew that they'd have to leap for the foliage to make it before they were both seen. He gripped Serenity's hand tighter and kicked off the ground, causing the delicate girl to fly through the air with him with a startled cry. A memory of flying through the train's glass window and landing amidst a rainstorm was flashing in her memory until Bakura pulled the small girl to him as they broke through the foliage... He hit the ground on his back and the air was knocked out of him. Serenity was lay on top of him, breathing rapidly- but unhurt.

The voices passed them.

The British boy sighed in relief. But he knew that they'd circle back eventually. He was right. Only a few moments later, another voice was heard:

"Hey! We gotta find them before the sun comes up..."

"Yeah, cause if we don't, this damn city'll kick us out."

Bakura breathed deeply. If he and Serenity could make it through the night undetected, they would have the entire duration of the daylight to plan an escape without being in fear. Somehow, he doubted that whoever it was that was after them- Bakura assumed the Cobras and maybe some others- would look for them in a jungle of a garden.

"Let's go check the hotel again!"

"Right."

But Serenity and Bakura couldn't move from this spot until the morning, or they'd risk being caught.

Bakura's gaze turned to the fragile girl lying on his chest. Gently, he lifted her up and set her down so that she was lying beside and looking at him. The shadows of leaves flickered over her face. He smiled at her reassuringly. "Looks like we won't be sleeping in actual beds tonight," he whispered, joking lightly.

"Guess not." The corners of her mouth turned up. "But we're used to that by now, anyway." She curled up in the crook of his arm and closed her eyes peacefully. Sleeping on the run had become a talent of hers throughout their whole adventure. Soon, the fragile redhead's breathing evened out.

Bakura lay looking at the sky through the layers of leaves for a time, wondering if it was safe for him to get some shut-eye as well. He looked at Serenity. It felt like all this had happened before. Even on this one adventure, history had repeated itself quite a few times. _'Well, if history is repeating itself, then it should be all right for me to sleep until morning.' _The shy teen closed his cosmically deep eyes and was soon in the midst of a tranquil dream, unaware anything other than what was happening in his own mind. The chaos of the world would have to wait...

###################################################################

_Elenion: Well, tell me what you think! I hope this story is coming along well... I mean, it's kinda hard to judge my own story..._


	7. Taking The Chance

**A TRAIN OF THOUGHTS**

_Elenion: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or anything related to it. So now for "Reviewer Responses":_

_Lily of the Shadow- LOL. Thanks for the chisel and hammer. I did, in fact, get a mild case of writer's block while doing this chapter, so thank you again for your more than generous gift! I'll return them to you when I'm sure that I won't need them again. As for Bakura and Serenity and who died, well, you'll see..._

_Wolfyu- Wow, thanks a bunch. No kidding? That's really flattering... I can't tell you how nice that was to hear. Well, I just hope I don't disappoint you. I'll try my hardest._

_Elenion: I'm sorry this chapter took so long in coming out. I was kinda stuck in the middle and then I just had to go back and do revisions. Well, here we go..._

###################################################################

**CHAPTER 7: Taking The Chance**

Bakura shifted as he gradually woke up. Light was beginning to shine red against his eyelids. Slowly, he opened his eyes, expecting to see Serenity lying right there next to him. But she wasn't there.

Sitting bolt upright, Bakura looked around hoping to see a glimpse of her auburn hair somewhere. _'Fates, Serenity, where are you?'_

There was a cute giggle behind him. Bakura's breathed in relief as he snapped his head around quickly. Serenity was standing casually by a tree not all that far from him. "You're finally awake."

Bakura's heart was still pounding. "You should have woken me up." What he didn't voice was what he really wanted to say: _'I thought something happened to you.'_

Again, she giggled. "I was going to, but you just looked so peaceful sleeping there." She cocked her head; her pure window-like eyes bore straight into his. "But you won't believe this beautiful little spot I found. C'mon." She gestured at Bakura to follow her as she scurried nimbly through the forest-like garden.

Without hesitation, Bakura followed not far behind until she rounded a bend and disappeared from sight. A burst of newfound adrenaline rushed through him as he rounded the corner and burst into a small clearing in the foliage.

Bakura's breath caught in his throat at the sight.

A small rivulet of water cascaded down a handful of rocks. This waterfall formed a little blue pool that caught the early morning sunlight. Large, brightly colored flowers grew everywhere about this little basin. All was surrounded by a light mist, which was reflecting the light in the breathtaking form of a rainbow. And then there was Serenity. She was looking at him with those stunning honey-colored eyes and smiling right from the depths of her selfless little heart. In the early morning sunlight, the auburn-haired girl looked more elfin than usual. The wind was twirling her auburn tresses about its wild fingers, and for some reason it seemed as if the little angel belonged there in that clearing.

All these colors and images flowed through Bakura's mind as a thought occurred to him. _'It feels like a dream...'_

Serenity watched the good-looking British boy expectantly. She'd adored this charming little spot the moment she found it. To her, it was all the more beautiful because it was untamed and natural instead of the groomed and manipulated garden that it most likely used to be.

Bakura was frozen, wishing that this moment would never end. That maybe, just maybe, he could stand there watching her like this forever...

The fairy-like girl held out her slender hand to him, and he took it without thinking. They stood, hand-in-hand, before the peaceful waterfall, watching the rainbow shine in the mist. A small bird chirped from nearby, and for that moment, all the burdens that Bakura carried upon his young shoulders were lifted and born away. His gaze moved to the beautiful girl beside him. A small smile lit her face, and her eyes lifted to meet his wondering what the shy boy next to her was thinking.

In truth, he was remembering the moment the night before when they'd stood on the moonlit balcony... how wonderful it had been... before he pulled away. _'How long can I fight my heart?'_

The rose was still innocently tucked behind her ear. Serenity had grown quite attached to it, and it made Bakura smile that heartwarming smile of his. He touched it gently in recognition, and caressed her silky hair affectionately.

Their eyes held each other's in silent reverie. It made Serenity's knees weak and a blush crept unbidden into her cheeks. Neither of them were willing to move; they tried to preserve the moment. Emotions were flowing in waves through them, and neither of them were really thinking straight.

Still holding his gaze, Serenity brushed the silver bangs out of his face from where the breeze had blown them. She was mesmerized- a feeling that she had only felt when she was around him. Her entire body tingled with foreign emotion as she looked into his eyes.

To Bakura, it seemed like Serenity's honey eyes were peering straight into his soul, and somehow, he found that he didn't mind. There was only him and Serenity in that moment. Right then, he was no longer afraid of, seemingly, anything. For the first time since childhood, Bakura felt as if he could open his heart- that he could trust her with every secret he'd ever kept. And now, no matter how much he wanted to keep his distance, so that there was no way he could hurt her, he found it was impossible.

Neither knew who moved first. It just seemed as if a godly force was acting upon them, and it would not be refused. All their insecure restraints and defenses shattered. Their eyes were drawn to each other's and their heads followed. The couple closed their eyes.

Bakura could feel her hot breath on his lips before suddenly, their lips met in a sweet kiss straight from the heart. It was soft and gentle... but it was the most loving gesture that anyone could ever have seen.

###################################################################__

"Tea?" Mai threw down her car keys roughly as she rushed into her friend's house. "Tea, where are you?"

"Living room." Tea screeched, sounding close to hysterics. "Mai, come see this!"

The TV was on. It was always on now at Tea's- always on the news station.

"What?" Mai hurried in to see the tall brunette leaning in towards the screen with large tears running down her face. Yugi was sitting on the couch beside her, and a mix of sorrow and anger was etched over his typically composed features.

Tea was so close to tears that Yugi was forced to answer for her: "The train station released the records of the passengers to the news station."

The blonde raised a carefully plucked eyebrow. "So?"

"Just listen."

So Mai did:

_"... records were released earlier today on the passengers of the infamous 2:50 train to Domino City. Of the wreck, perhaps two of the most-grieved victims were the two high school students, Ryou Bakura and Serenity Wheeler."_

A lump was rising in Mai's throat as the school pictures of Ryou and Serenity filled the TV screen. _'I swore that I'd never have friends. Now look what's happened to me...'_

Tea looked with disgust at the man on the screen- Mike. He tried to sound like he cared, but it was all an act. When all was said and done, he really didn't care about what he was saying- how he was affecting people. The words 'Ryou Bakura and Serenity Wheeler' meant just as much to this reporter as did the words 'needle in a haystack'.

_"The two were good friends of the Duelist Champion, Yugi Motou, and they both had quite a reputation for their perfect academic records. Their remains have not yet been found, however, forensic scientists believe that there were no survivors of this tragic accident. Our field reporter, Jane, is at this moment on her way to have an exclusive interview with the family members of these two outstanding young people."_

They were going to go interview Joey? Mai froze and looked over at Yugi and Tea. "Does Joey know about this?"

###################################################################

'_I look like hell.' _Joey stood before the bathroom mirror, hands grasping the counter painfully as he stared at an altogether unfamiliar face. His eyes were empty- so devoid of the impish emotion that used to thrive there. The skin about his eyes was red and swollen, He shook his blonde hair that was stringy and unkept. But perhaps it was the lack of smile that made the grieving teen seem so foreign.

_Bring!_

It was the phone. There was no reaction from the boy other than to grip the counter tighter and keep staring at the reflection of his empty hazel eyes. _'Serenity used ta have eyes the color of mine...'_

_Bring!_

This time, the blonde's eyes flickered over to his bedroom where the damned phone was interrupting his misery again.

_Bring!_

The answering machine picked up. As usual, Serenity's recorded voice came up- with that perky tone that only comes from the preserved innocence of youth: _"Hello. You've reached Serenity and Joey Wheeler. We're currently unavailable, but if you leave a message, we'll get back to you as soon as possible."_

Joey let out an animal-like scream and pounded his fist against the sink's counter. A deep shudder trembled throughout the bathroom. _'She was too young!! Ren was just a kid!! Her and Bakura, what did dey eva do ta deserve this?!'_

There was the telltale beep for the message to begin. It was a vaguely familiar voice- full of sap and overdramatic cheese. Joey immediately didn't like it. _"Hello. I'm looking for a Mr. Joseph Wheeler? This is Jane from the local news station. I'm on my way to your apartment right now so that I can have a wonderful little interview with you about your sister. Well, I will see you in a little bit. Ta ta!" _Click.

Joey bit his tongue to keep from screaming. When would people stop insensitively reminding him of his baby sister? And now a reporter? What more could people want from him?

_Ding-dong!_

Now someone was at the door.

"GO AWAY!" Joey yelled hoarsely, clutching the sides of his head.

"Joey? It's Yugi. We need to talk."

The blonde fell to his knees. "No, Yug. I don't wanna talk ta anyone."

Outside the door, Yugi wiped his tearing eyes. He hadn't wanted to do this. Tea and Mai had begged him to. "Joey, I know you're hurting right now, but can't you trust me? You really need to come out of that apartment."

"WHY CAN'T YA LEAVE ME ALONE?!?!" Joey slapped the ground with the palms of his hands.

The violet-eyed boy sighed and felt moisture trickle down his cheek. His best friend was shattered, and he knew it. If leaving him alone would help, Yugi would have left immediately... but it wouldn't. Joey would just start hating himself. "Joey, please... Maybe you really just need to talk about it."

Joey fought the dry sob in his throat. "Talking won't bring 'em back, Yug, and ya know dat."

"Yes, I do know that, but..."

"BUT NOTHIN', YUG!!! NOW GO AWAY!!!"

Yugi's breath caught in his throat. He never thought it would come to this. "Listen, Joey. There's a reporter coming..."

"I know."

So he did know... "Well, Mai didn't want you to have to face that. So she invited you over her house. She said that you just need to get out of there..."

"I don't want friends anymore..." Joey sobbed.

Something in Yugi really snapped, which was rare for him. "Fine then, Joey. If you don't think you need friends, then stay there. But Ra knows what good it'll do if you don't get up and face your problems." Tears were streaming now... "Oh, and Mai told me to tell you this word for word: 'If he decides to be a stubborn jackass, then tell him to remember what I told him on his answering machine.'" The short boy turned and walked away from the apartment door of his despairing best friend.

There was a pause in Joey's steady sobs. _'What did Mai say on the machine... "Serenity wouldn't have wanted you to lose your friends and life just because she was gone"...Maybe Mai was right.' _Slowly, the blonde raised himself off his knees. He inched into his sister's room. No longer was he sobbing but the tears were still coming. _'What would you have wanted, Ren?' _His eyes fell upon the painting that Serenity had done of herself and her big brother. Scrawled above their heads was a small message: _'Together forever'._

The blonde teen stared at his feet. _'Maybe Yug and Mai are right...'_

###################################################################

_Ding!_

Yugi walked into the elevator, worried for his friend beyond words. He pushed the button for the ground floor and stared at his feet as the doors closed. But the two doors never met.

The short boy looked up to see someone's hand between the doors. Then, amazingly, an unsteady yet unmistakably familiar voice spoke:

"Yug? I'm sorry..."

###################################################################

Serenity and Bakura pulled away, but only far enough to look at each other. They had both just experienced their first kiss, and neither of them were willing to let the moment die- both were standing together in the morning sunlight without any worries in the world.. The auburn-haired girl smiled, bemused and running on an emotional high. She lay her head against the boy's firm chest and stared blissfully at the water trickling down the rocks.

Bakura laid his head gently upon hers, smelling her hair- that pure, spring scent. A smile crept onto his disbelieving face. If there was one moment that he'd want to remember forever, this was it. _'Perhaps the fates don't hate me afterall...'_

The melodic sound of a reed flute playing a catchy little tune hovered in the breeze. A violin and cello started playing along. Serenity turned her joyful eyes to Bakura's. Both of them were blushing uncontrollably but Serenity still had the incentive to say, "Let's dance."

The couple began to twirl and sway gracefully to the tune.

It just didn't seem like anything could go wrong.

###################################################################

Concealed in his soul room, Yami Bakura began to laugh diabolically as he watched the actions of the boy whose life he'd ruined. "Oh, hikari, enjoy it while you can. You think that just because I'm not in the back of your mind right now, that I'm not watching?"

A deep, bellowing laugh erupted out of Yami Bakura's throat. "This careful courting of yours is certainly amusing, aibou, but I know something that I'll enjoy even more..."

His murderous, chilling eyes flashed menacingly. "But I'll bide my time... No sense rushing into things, eh?"

Had Ryou Bakura heard these words, he would have told Serenity to run for her life... But he didn't hear. He never did unless, of course, his yami decided to open their link and talk to him- that was a rare occasion.

###################################################################

They had stopped dancing, now, to hold one another again. Right there, in Bakura's embrace, Serenity thought that she'd never felt safer- not even with her big brother. Her head nuzzled against Bakura's chest contentedly as Bakura stroked her hair. Both of them wanted nothing more than to stand like that forever.

Serenity smiled, still bemused as if it were all a dream. She turned her head to look at him. "Everything's so prefect. Except..."

Bakura's brow furrowed. "Except what, love?"

The elfin girl smiled sweetly, lightly touching her nose against his. "I'm hungry."

He laughed and rubbed his nose against hers. "I think we can remedy that." His forest brown eyes sparkled. "I saw a nice muffin shop last night while we were running for our lives."

Serenity grinned at his dry humor. "Sounds 'positively spiffing'..."

A few laughs and a short walk down a busy street later, Bakura and Serenity sat on a bench outside the little muffin shop. The early morning had passed on, leaving the sun close to its zenith. It was amazing how quickly the devastating storm had passed on leaving a welcome summer day.

Orange juice and blueberry muffins... Bakura had never thought that such a normal breakfast would be such a treat.

Serenity watched the passers-by with laughter in her hazel eyes. "I never would have guessed that civilization would seem so foreign."

"Same here," Bakura looked closer at a teenage punk on a skateboard, hoping that it wasn't a Cobra. There was no signature red and yellow bandanna, but that didn't really mean anything. However, the skateboarder passed without so much as a glance in their direction.

Bakura was now presented with a difficult choice. He and Serenity could either stay in Sado City until the communications or transportation services became available, or they could try to make it back to Domino on their own. He'd already asked Serenity for her opinion. She had vouched for trying to get home, but she had said that whatever Bakura decided, she would go with. So now it was up to him...

_'The receptionist had said that it might take three months to get communications back, and I don't think that Serenity and I will last that long with the Cobras out looking for us. Besides, even without the Cobras, I don't think that I could just sit idly for three months, even if it means facing the forest again.'_

Bakura took a deep breath and stared at Serenity before speaking, "I think we should move on. We're just like sitting ducks here."

Serenity smiled. This was the decision that she had been hoping for.

The British boy furrowed his brow. "Maybe we should tell the receptionist at the hotel that we won't be staying there."

The girl's face paled. "N-no. I don't want to go back there." She could still hear the gunshot ringing in her ears.

Knowing what she was thinking, Bakura nodded. _'So much for thanking the receptionist for the pink roses idea.' _He didn't blame Serenity for being scared to go back, but... "I feel guilty for leaving without paying."

Serenity shook her head, still smiling. "It's not like we actually slept there, anyhow."

"True," Bakura shrugged. He hadn't thought of it that way.

"So we need to be out of here by sunset?" The auburn-haired girl turned to face him raising a quizzical eyebrow. That probably entailed more hiking, although Serenity didn't exactly mind. Afterall, she wasn't going to be walking alone.

"Yeah. I don't really fancy having another rendezvous with the Cobras, and from what happened last night, I'd say the feeling may be mutual," Bakura said as he studied the crumbs of his muffin diligently. "And, unfortunately for us, there aren't any clear roads or paths left after that storm."

Serenity grimaced. "Great... But then, I kinda figured that we wouldn't be able to just drive the rest of the way." She sighed. Things could have been worse. "Do you know how far we are from Domino?"

Bakura pulled a map from his jeans pocket. "The man in the muffin shop gave me this when I asked. Sado City isn't on here, but he gave me an estimate, and, well, let's just say that we're a long ways away."

"Should've known," Serenity muttered as she averted her attention to the map, but her face immediately brightened. From her early childhood, she'd had a talent to see the best in every situation. "At least this time, we won't be unprepared for a huge hike, unlike last time."

Brown eyes twinkled as they met each other's eyes.

"So, I guess this means we have to go shopping?" Bakura sighed in mock despair.

In response, Serenity laughed and hit his arm playfully. "Oh you... It's not like we're going to a lingerie shop or something..."

Bakura grimaced. "The thought hadn't even passed my mind." The British boy ran a hand absently through his silver hair. "So what do you think we need?"

Exactly three hours and thirty-one minutes later, the two found themselves back at the same bench outside the muffin shop rifling through their bags and trying to think if they should buy anything else. They had the necessities: food, canteens, iodine tablets to purify water on the way, matches, backpacks, blankets, a change of clothes, a roll of bandages, a cooking utensil kit, a first aid kit, compass, pocket knife, rain jackets (just in case) among a few other assorted things. They had been as frugal as possible, seeing as how Bakura wasn't exactly an endless supply of money.

Despite that, Serenity had taken it upon herself to buy a pair of chopsticks that she immediately used to form her hair into an elegant auburn knot at the back of her head. Sometimes a girl just had to get her hair out of her face... She had also bought a comb that would probably come in handy later on.

By this time, it was the middle of the afternoon. Time was flying by faster than Bakura had expected. In fact, both of them were hungry again, and they figured that they might as well take advantage of having a number of restaurants around.

"Serenity," Bakura said as he held out her wallet, "While I pack these backpacks, why don't you run in to the pizza place and grab a few slices, please."

'_Wow. He didn't have to say please...' _Serenity took his worn, leather wallet carefully. "What kind of pizza do you like?"

"Cheese."

His angel grinned. "Me too." With that, she agilely ran over to the pizza place, hopping up the steps in a nimble, cat-like manner.

Bakura smiled at her as he watched her disappear inside the pizzeria, then he returned his attention to packing the backpacks. Serenity had told him to pack them evenly so that they each carried half of the weight. However, Bakura- being Bakura- gave considerable care to making sure that his bag had the bulk of the weight. His friends used to tell him that his proclivity for being polite was going to be the death of him... But it wasn't just being polite- although that was indeed one of the factors. Bakura knew that he was quite a bit stronger than Serenity, and the last thing he wanted was for her to get hurt just because he had decided to keep an even weight distribution.

'_Even if the sun exploded here and now, I'd still have Serenity. She's the one thing in my life that is worth living for.' _Bakura's eyes glittered in the afternoon sun. _'My light in the dark... I wouldn't trade you for the world.'_

###################################################################

Inside the pizzeria, there was quite a long line. Serenity stood amidst the torrents of chatty and hungry teenagers who all wanted a late lunch. It was hot and stuffy, and Serenity almost regretted coming inside. It wasn't a very clean place either. The checker-tiled floors were worn, and from the look of them, they hadn't been washed anytime recently. Even the light bulbs had a thin film of grime.

Serenity wrinkled her nose at an old man smoking a cigar. _'Now that's just inconsiderate.' _She accidentally inhaled some of the disgusting smoke and coughed reflexively. _'Yuck.' _

A low grumbling swept through the line for an unfathomable reason. Serenity stood on her tiptoes, trying to see over the people in front of her. From what she could see, one of the customers was giving the girl at the cash register a hard time about something- probably a price.

Thoroughly bored, Serenity decided to study Bakura's wallet. It was soft leather, although she couldn't tell if that was because of its quality or the fact that it was careworn. She opened it, but she felt an immediate pang of guilt. _'I hope he doesn't mind...' _

She decided to let her curiosity get the best of her. In the front, there was his driver's license with his picture smiling shyly at the camera. Then there was his library card, a bankcard, and an index card with a few phone numbers. She looked at everything with some interest, even though it just seemed like any other teenager's wallet.

Then something tucked in the back caught her eye. It was a photograph.

Carefully, Serenity pulled it out and an immediate "Awww..." escaped her lips. It was a picture of Bakura as a little boy. He was only a few years old. _'He was positively adorable.' _

And he was. Bakura had been one of those kids that was just pinch-his-cheeks adorable. He still had that long, silvery hair and those large, innocent chocolate eyes. In the picture, he was outdoors- camping probably- at the top of a large hill surrounded by megalithic stones. He was staring at the camera with a slight smile and pointing awkwardly at the landscape that spread out behind him.

Serenity flipped the photo over and saw a small message scrawled there: _Ryou- 3 ½ years old- Stonehenge trip. _

Someone bumped into Serenity causing her to snap out of her thoughts. She moved up in the line and was pleasantly surprised to find that she was only two people back from the front. Once again, she looked at the picture. _'His father must have taken this picture. Maybe I should ask him about it.'_

"Can I take your order?"

Serenity's head snapped up, and she slid the photo tenderly back into place. "Ummm... yes."

###################################################################

"Ryou Bakura!"

Bakura looked up to see Serenity laughing as she ran over with a take-out box, balancing drinks on top.

"Serenity Wheeler!" he called back. "What took you?"

She rolled her eyes and sat down on the bench next to him. "Line." She offered Bakura his Sprite and opened the box to reveal two cheese slices. They each took one and began to eat steadily. _'Who knew that shopping could be such hard work?' _Serenity glanced over at Bakura as she returned his wallet. "You've been to Stonehenge?"

Bakura stared at her, then chuckled. "Let me guess, you saw that picture."

Serenity blushed, but she was relieved to see that he was amused rather than angry. "Erm... yes."

Grinning, Bakura stroked her hair affectionately. "Of course I've been to Stonehenge. What natural Brit hasn't?" His eyes softly sparkled good-naturedly at her.

Serenity smiled. "I should have guessed that you were such an adorable kid." Then her gaze switched to the bags at their feet. "You finished packing?"

"Yes, you were gone long enough..." Bakura teased the sweet girl next to him.

"Hey! Not my fault." Serenity mock-pouted, making Bakura burst out laughing. In a chain reaction, Serenity began laughing along with him.

They spent the rest of the afternoon resting, formally dressing their healing wounds, and talking. Altogether, they spent a very restful afternoon on the bench outside the muffin shop that ended all too soon. As the sun began to set, Bakura stood and slung his bag over his shoulders.

"We really should be going..." He didn't finish his sentence for fear of alarming Serenity: _'... because those guys will be here soon.'_

But Serenity already knew, and she easily followed his thoughts. Her honey-colored eyes darkened as she too slung her pack over her shoulder. The bag was suspiciously light and she glanced at Bakura wondering if he'd decided to put the majority of the heavy stuff in his pack.

"We're going north," Bakura announced as they both started walking towards Sado City's gates, holding hands.

Bakura's mind was still a bit fuzzy from the events of the morning. It all seemed like a wonderful dream...

The nasal sentry, Horus, was at the gates, wrangling with someone outside. Bakura came up behind him and just swung the gates easily open. Horus jumped in surprise as Bakura and Serenity passed through the gates into the forest again. The poor soul outside slipped through with a thankful nod at Bakura as he passed.

"Here we go again," Serenity sighed, taking in the familiar feel of the wide-open world. "You know, it's funny... When we were in Sado City, I actually missed this place, but now that we're here again, I almost wish I was back in civilization."

"The grass is always greener..." Bakura recited wisely. Then he froze. There was commotion up ahead. Using the hand that was still wrapped around Serenity's, he pulled her effortlessly behind a large tree, where they crouched.

They watched tensely as the Cobras thundered by, preparing to storm the gates. It was difficult to say whether or not Collins was among them or not. Bakura was also unable to see the wiry frame of the green-eyed criminal. But then, it was dusk, and the gang was assembled so that it was difficult to tell the difference between one person and the next.

The gang had soon passed. _'I actually feel sorry for Horus right now.' _Bakura thought as he and Serenity began to wind their way through the trees again. They had to walk about the exterior of the town, but Sado City was soon long gone. The couple was once more in the very center of the wilderness in a desperate attempt to get home.

'_Home...' _Bakura thought as a tortured feeling writhed in his stomach, _'It will feel so empty being there alone.' _

Unheard by his hikari, Yami Bakura snickered to himself in his soul room. "Oh, you're never alone, aibou. Not anymore..."

The moon was at its full height in the sky. It provided the two travelers with enough light to avoid crashing into an unwelcome tree trunk, which was an undeniable blessing.

Serenity's mind was screaming for sleep. She hadn't realized what leaving at night would entail. She and Bakura had been awake since early that morning, and they were still awake now that it was the middle of the night. Not only were they awake, but they were _hiking_. All in all, Serenity felt so helplessly exhausted that she feared she'd collapse. But every time she faltered, Bakura's hand was able to pick her back up.

Bakura felt just as exhausted as the tired girl holding his hand. If he'd thought they could, he would have stopped long ago. Right then, however, they had to be sure that Sado City and its inhospitable gangs were behind them. Whether or not the Cobras tried to follow them wasn't really an issue. If they were actually followed, the chances of being found were very slim... or so he hoped.

For what felt like the hundredth time in that hour, Serenity stumbled. She didn't panic. Every other time she'd been able regain her footing. But perhaps this time, she was less aware than the other times. With a cry, Serenity lost her footing entirely, and the girl felt herself falling forwards.

Bakura, still alert somehow, felt the initial stumble and heard her cry out. He whirled and was able to catch her about the waist and set her back on her feet. Serenity curled up against Bakura with his arms still around her waist. She was near her breaking point, emotion-wise, and all that she desired at that point was a gentle hug and some sleep. "Can't we stop and rest?" Serenity pleaded.

The British boy felt his heart break as he looked in her hopeful eyes knowing that he'd have to say no. He bit his lip. "Just a little longer," he said gently, watching as her face lost its hope. "We've come this far, already. We might as well push on a little farther."

As this sank in, Serenity nodded as she drew steeled herself for another leg of the hike. She drew all the energy she could from her reserves and determinedly began walking again.

###################################################################

Slashed up blankets, feathers from the pillows, pieces of wallpaper, cables ripped from their sockets...

Room 510 of the Sado City Inn was completely wrecked. The Cobras had torn the place apart searching futilely for the British albino. Each one of them was enraged. What else would one expect from a gang who had just lost their leader? This was just their way of expressing their anger.

The receptionist of the Sado City in looked watery-eyed the destruction. The word '_Cobras' _was spray-painted across the walls in neon red.

The policemen were swarming the place. They'd found the dead body of a Cobra boy- Thomas Collins by his ID- on the ground floor. He had been inexplicably killed by blade piercing his neck.

There was also an unexplained trail of blood down the same hallway. It almost appeared as if a man had been wounded and dragged himself down the hall and outside.

Now, the local gang had devastated Room 510. It was all so strange.

The receptionist was sick at the thought of all this.

The manager strode into the room. "Don't worry, the insurance will cover all this. Of course, that's _when _we can actually _contact_ the insurance company..."

Thinking it all over, the receptionist looked at him. "Where are the Cobras?"

"Oh, the police are looking for the two that got away. They have the rest, though, and they'll all be brought in soon. I have to say, this may be the end of the Cobras."

The brunette sighed in relief.

The manager stared at the large bags under the receptionist's eyes. "Why don't you go home and get some sleep?"

Slowly, the receptionist nodded, tugging lightly at her earring as she sauntered out of the room. "That poor boy and girl, I hope they escaped." She smiled at the thought of the white-haired boy who had been so happy at her suggestion: _Pink roses. _

###################################################################

Bakura's eyes stared deeply into the campfire. Despite how his eyelids had become unbearably heavy, he was still awake for no apparent reason. His eyes flickered over to Serenity, who was deeply asleep curled up inches from him beneath her blanket. The pink rose had fallen from behind her ear during the hike somewhere. That was too bad.

'_I should have bought a wrist watch.' _Bakura thought glumly. Once again, he had completely lost track of time, but he estimated that it was now sometime around three or four in the morning. He silently pulled out the map from his bag and unfolded it on his lap. _'A whole lot of good this thing does...' _Bakura thought sarcastically. The map had few landmarks outside of the main cities, and so for Serenity and Bakura, who were out in the center of the forest, the map was of very little use.

However, Bakura wasn't without hope. The owner of the muffin shop had also told him that there was a lodge for hikers only a couple days walk northeast from Sado City. That was a little out of their way if Bakura decided to aim for it. The decision was a hard one, because it would mean a good rest but it also meant a delay. That was, of course, provided that the storm hadn't destroyed the lodge.

There was the distant echo of thunder.

Bakura froze and a shiver crawled down his spine. If another storm like the first one was coming... But no matter how long he waited, there wasn't another echo. It was possible that the thunder had just been a figment of his imagination, but Bakura wasn't willing to risk it. They would make for the lodge, just in case a repeat of the last storm hit. Besides, there was a chance that the lodge would have a working phone.

He began to drift off into a bit of a catnap...

Bakura was awoken with a start as Serenity cried out in her sleep. He wrapped his arms around the petite girl, and her eyes flickered open to fearfully stare at him.

"Serenity," Bakura cooed as he hugged her, "what's the matter, love?"

The poor girl shivered in his arms. "Oh gods, Bakura... I... I..." Silent tears spilled down her cheeks. She didn't want to tell him that she'd just had a horrible nightmare about... him. Well, not exactly him. She had a nightmare about what she had considered was a figment of her imagination- the evil Bakura that she had seen kneeling by the stream.

His eyes gazed at her, expecting her to continue.

Serenity swallowed at told him a little lie. "I had a nightmare about my f-father and... and... that green-eyed man." It wasn't all a lie. She did worry over the two of them a lot.

Bakura raised an eyebrow. Somehow he knew that she wasn't being completely truthful, but if she didn't want to talk about it, then he wouldn't press her. So instead of prying, he did the next best thing: comfort her. "It's all right. Your father, well, I'm sure he's far away from here right now. And the green-eyed man," Bakura grit his teeth at the thought of that coward, "He's probably dead right now."

"R-really?" Serenity looked at him. "You think he's dead?"

The white-haired teen sighed. "I can't say for sure, but you heard that gunshot as clearly as I did."

Slowly, she nodded. "You're right." But she was still uneasy, and Bakura could tell even though he wasn't sure what she was so unruffled about.

"Listen, love," he said soothingly, "It was just a dream. Nothing will hurt you. I've already promised you that."

Serenity smiled at him genuinely. Just a dream... Yes, that was all it was. Now that she was looking at Bakura, she suddenly felt her security returning. How on earth could golden-hearted Bakura turn cold and murderous? It just didn't seem possible.

"Well, good night... again," Serenity breathed as she once again drifted off in his arms.

Bakura lay her down gently wondering what she wasn't telling him. But he didn't ponder long... His dexterous fingers traced her soft, pink lips lovingly, and all the worried thoughts disappeared. _'Perhaps this could work... you and I...' _

He soon fell asleep, while his yami chuckled at him darkly in his soul room...

###################################################################

Green eyes flashed dangerously in the darkness. The man hissed in pain as he clutched feebly at his chest. Despite his undeniably weak condition, the wiry black-haired man moved with forceful, predatory movements down the street.

He coughed and forced himself to stop. _'Damn punk. How the hell was I supposed to know that he was carrying a gun?' _

Fresh out of first aid, the green-eyed man had left a room full of dead nurses. Just in case they ever decided to tell someone about him, he'd killed them all in cold blood after they'd removed the bullet. And now he was out for more.

_'That kid couldn't have gotten too far. My guess... he left. And he knows I'm after him.'_

The green-eyed man chuckled darkly as he caressed his newly bought switchblade sadistically.

_'But he probably thinks I'm dead.'_

###################################################################

_Elenion: Ok. I'll try to get the next chapter out pronto, because I know I kinda left it hanging. In the meantime, tell me what you think!_


	8. Shards Of Broken Glass

A TRAIN OF THOUGHTS

Elenion: I never have and never will own Yu-Gi-Oh.

fox-SPIRIT AKA Y.V- Wow, thanks a million for the (as Bakura says) 'positively spiffing' review! I must have been glowing bright red as I read that. And now you're a RyouSerenity fan? Lol. But anyway, I'm glad you liked it so much (and yeah, I didn't know Ryou could kick ass- till I wrote that chapter- either) and keep on reading!

Wolfyu- Hey, that's great. I was aiming for the "aww" moment when they kissed, so I'm ecstatic that it worked out the way I planned. Thanks! And yeah, Yami Bakura is going to put a bit of a damper on things eventually… Sigh. Just one of those things that seems inevitable, I guess.

Lily of the Shadow- I know what you mean about not sounding good… That last chapter kinda left it in a sour note, if you know what I mean. I'm really happy that I'm not in Bakura's position. I mean, it seems like the entire world is after him, doesn't it? Well, it was great to hear from you!

Elenion: Yep. It's time for the next chapter…

######

CHAPTER 8: Shards Of Broken Glass 

It had been two days since Serenity and Bakura had set foot out of Sado City. Since then, they had progressively moved northeast towards the hiker's lodge. The couple was once again walking, and it was sometime towards the setting of the sun.

Serenity felt much more up to the challenge of a long hike now that she'd had a full night's worth of sleep. That night, in fact, they had slept through most of the morning as well.

Serenity shook her head slightly and looked over the fast setting sun in the west. It was making the entire sky a lovely crimson. "You know, I never thought that I'd sleep straight through a day."

Bakura chuckled. "I didn't think I would either. But we did go to bed fairly late- or early if that's the way you want to look at it."

 Not to mention that she was still giddy from a few days before- how Bakura had actually kissed her.

Bakura was thinking along the same lines. In fond memory, Bakura's hand faintly touched his lips. _'Gods, I can't believe that actually happened.'_ The only thing that could take his mind from this phenomenon- as he regarded it- was the darkening mass of clouds approaching from the east. They were always on the edge of his mind.

"Bakura, please tell me those rain clouds in the distance are a figment of my imagination," Serenity said while biting her lip worriedly.

The white-haired boy sighed and shook his head. "I'm afraid that you're not imagining things."

"Great. Just great," Serenity grumbled. "Do you think anyone's following us?"

Bakura thought about that for a moment. "I don't think so, but you never know." Despite himself, he smiled. She always seemed to have that effect on him.

"Mmm hmm." Serenity fingered the chopsticks that still held her hair in a bun and cocked her head thoughtfully. "How much farther until we get to that traveler's lodge you were talking about?"

"Well," Bakura sighed, "If what I've heard is true… We should be nearly there by now. I'd say in about another hour or so. Then we'll be able to rest for awhile and avoid this storm."

It sounded reasonable.

"So we can rest in a little while?" Serenity asked, almost not believing what she was hearing.

Bakura laughed. "Oh, come now, love. You're not tired _already_ are you?"

A silly little grin answered him. "After this is all over, I'm going to sleep for a _week _straight," Serenity giggled to herself. Her eyes gleamed playfully, and she suddenly scampered ahead of him. "Catch me if you can!"

The British teen laughed and dashed after her. Trees and shrubs were passing by in a blur, and Bakura could feel his bag bouncing on his back heavily. It was cute things like this that really made him laugh.

Man, she was fast… But he was still faster. He not only caught up with her, but he grabbed her by the backpack and whirled her around. "Caught you."

Both of their faces were flushed and they were both breathing heavily, but despite it, they were smiling broadly.

Suddenly, Bakura lifted her off her feet and twirled her around before pulling her into a strong hug.

They remained there until their breathing calmed down. The sun was nearly below the horizon now, and everything was beset with an enchanting red glow. Serenity couldn't help but notice how Bakura's feathery, white hair reflected the sun's rays beautifully. As for her own, Serenity's usually auburn hair was catching the red so radiantly, that her hair glowed like the sun itself.

Feeling flirtatious himself, Bakura grabbed the chopsticks from her hair and pulled them out, letting her hair flow down in a fiery waterfall past her shoulders down to her waist.

Serenity mock-pouted just for the pure fun of it, but she soon broke out in laughter. She fluttered her eyelashes against Bakura's cheek affectionately- butterfly kisses.

But then worry set in. Bakura sighed and looked around at the surroundings. He really hoped that they hadn't somehow passed the lodge. The oncoming stormclouds were getting closer by the hour, and they didn't look very forgiving. Bakura forced himself to pull away from her. "I need to check my compass," he explained.

Serenity glanced up at him and nodded sweetly, "Good idea."

Bakura knelt on one knee, keeping Serenity visible in the corner of his eye just in case. He slung the heavy pack onto the ground and rifled through it for the compass he'd bought for just this purpose. He had just enclosed his hand around the silver, circular compass when the one thing he'd dreaded decided to taunt him:

/Why use a compass when you have a much more accurate one right around your neck?/

The British boy's entire body stiffened. His yami meant the Millennium Ring, the symbol of Ryou Bakura's eternal misery. /I don't like to use that miserable _thing_./

 /Ah, but hikari…/

/Yami, my life was ruined the minute I took that Ring. I wish I never had. And I will _never _use it. Not ever. Especially just to amuse you./

Yami Bakura laughed at his hikari, but he said no more. He hadn't actually expected his host to use the Millennium Ring, but it was ever so entertaining to remind him of it. Torment was the tombrobber's specialty as well as his form of amusement. But he wasn't about to spoil _everything. _Not just yet. The Ring's spirit was content to watch as his host handed him an opportunity on a silver platter.

The compass indicated that they had indeed been hiking in the right direction. Ryou Bakura closed his eyes- his mind not entirely focused on the compass anymore. Ever since that time when he had been able to overthrow his yami's control, it seemed like his yami had decided to bother him even more. And if Hikari Bakura wasn't mistaken, it almost seemed like the tombrobber was planning something.

But all of this evaporated when Serenity touched his shoulder in concern.

"Bakura, is there something wrong?"

The British boy snapped his eyes open and smiled. His yami was once again forgotten, and nothing seemed to be out of place. "No. Nothing." He leapt to his feet and put the pack back over his shoulders. "Let's get going. We're almost there."

Wordlessly, they found each other's hand and continued determinedly on their way.

######

It was somewhere in the middle of the night- a stormy night- and the entire gang- or what was left- sat on the stylish couches and chairs of Mai Valentine. Everyone there was in a various state of devastation. The atmosphere in the living room was heavy and stifling. Looking around, Yugi felt a choking sensation in his throat. _'Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.' _

Tea was silently crying, holding Yugi's hand so tightly it was going numb. It looked like she wanted to say something, but just couldn't bring herself to do it. Her gaze was fixed firmly on her lap, but every now and then her eyes flickered over to Joey worriedly.

Joey was flipping through every card in his Duel Monsters deck. All the memories of the Duelist Kingdom and Battle City were coming back to him, and his eyes grew more and more distant. _'I used ta fight for my sista. Now what have I got ta fight for?' _

Everything was in a fuzz. All the people that had once seemed so close now seemed far away. Tea felt this more than any of them, and she was more frightened than she'd ever been in her life. Their friendship couldn't fall apart now. It was this time more than ever that they needed one another. She swallowed and turned her watery blue eyes to the most grief-struck of all of them. "Joey…"

There was no response. No acknowledgment of any type from the blonde.

Tea exchanged a nervous glance with Yugi before trying again. "Joey, I know that this is probably even harder for you than any of us, but…" This was harder than she would have ever imagined. "I think we all just wanted to tell you that we're here for you, Joey."

His hazel eyes rose from his deck and looked at Tea and slowly scanned all the faces in the room. "It's so hard guys. It… it f-feels like every time I… I look at ya, I see my lil … m-my lil sis and B-bakura…"

Yugi reached over and patted his friends arm. "We know, Joey. But you have to understand that we feel the same way. You're not alone."

Joey slowly nodded, starting to feel a little less lost. "Th-thanks, guys." He closed his teary eyes and was ready to say something but there was a loud _Ratta Tat Tat _on the front door. Everyone froze, bewildered.

Mai, who was holding a lacy handkerchief to her chest, rose from the ottoman she'd been sitting on. She carefully opened the door, and her violet eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, no. You're _not _coming in here."

The woman outside ignored the blonde girl's statement, and peered over her shoulder. "Hello. My name is Jane, I'm sure you've seen me on the news. I'm looking for a Mr. Joseph Wheeler and any of his friends who would care to comment." The obnoxious brunette pushed past Mai, who uncharacteristically let her by.

A cameraman followed Jane into the house.

Tea stood up. "Excuse me, _Jane_," she spat out the name like it was an incurable disease, "But you're not exactly welcome here right now."

The fake-smiling Jane snapped and let her real, hyena-like self through: "Well, I wasn't talking to _you_, was I?" The sickeningly sweet smile-the mask- came back. "Joseph Wheeler? Do you mind if I call you Joseph?"

Joey stared pleadingly at his friends.

Yugi took up the case. "I think, miss, that Tea's right. Joey doesn't really want to talk to anyone right now…"

Again, the reporter mask vanished and the hyena came out. "Shut up, _shrimp_. I don't have time for people like _you_ now. I need my raw video footage in another two hours."

This time it was Tristan's turn. "Look, lady. What makes _you_ such an exception to all the rules? You've basically been told three times to leave, and now you're _insulting _us."

Jane was ignoring all of this. "Get ready to roll the camera," she snapped at her cameraman before her fake reporter face came back. "So Joseph, you don't mind me interviewing you, do you?"

No reply.

"Ok, roll camera," Jane said as she cleared her throat.

Mai looked at Tea as she walked over and whispered, "He's not ready for this, Tea. He just came out of his shell. We need to stop this."

 "I just want to ask a few questions," Jane said to the unmoving Joey, "What does it feel like to lose a best friend and your sister?"

Tea started forward. "Now that's uncalled for…"

She was stopped by a venomous glare from Jane that could have curdled milk. "I've heard you were the runner-up at the Duelist Kingdom and that you were fighting for your sister. What will be your new inspiration when you play Duel Monsters?"

Something in Joey snapped. "I'll neva play Duel Monsters again," he said through gritted teeth as he let his deck drop onto the carpet.

"Joey, don't say that," Yugi pleaded, choking with tears.

"Oh my," Jane murmured in mock sympathy, "Now, I understand that Serenity was on vacation, yes? Why was she on vacation?"

Joey clutched his head as if in pain. "If she hadn't gone on vacation, my father woulda saw her straight ta the ER," he hissed tears flowing down his cheeks as he retreated back to the cloud of despair.

"Can't you leave him alone?" Tristan growled at the manipulative reporter.

Mai rushed over to the chair Joey was sitting in and hugged him gently.

"So the plot thickens," Jane said raising an eyebrow, "So you saw Serenity Wheeler off on this vacation of hers. What does it feel like to know that maybe if you didn't let her on that first train that maybe she'd still be alive?"

Joey let out a strangled sob before shouting, "LEAVE ME ALONE!!"

Mai shushed him, "Don't listen to her, Joey."

"I just have one more question. What was…"

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!" Mai shrieked, losing control. "GET OUT!!!"

Tristan pushed the reporter straight towards the door roughly. The cameraman was ushered out as well, the red light on his camera still staring at them like a mocking eye. Jane whirled around. "Thank you for your time," she called with that horrible smile as the door was slammed in her face.

######

Thunder crackled- almost directly overhead. The sky had long lost its red hue, and instead the sky had turned dark with the thunderhead storm clouds swarming angrily about. No rain had come yet, but the two travelers knew that it was only a matter of time. In preparation, Bakura and Serenity had slipped on their rain jackets that they had brought along for just this purpose.

A chilling wind howled through the trees, causing the two travelers to shiver involuntarily through their jackets. The weather had turned from pleasant to ominous in only the past hour. Both of them were reminded of the awful train and the storm that had brought the entire countryside to its knees.

Right now, it seemed like this was an exact copy- a clone, if you will- of the first storm. That was far from a comforting thought.

Through the cloud-induced darkness, Bakura was able to see a flickering light. His hope flared at the sudden possibility of reaching shelter. The grip of his hand on Serenity's tightened as they struggled through the gales toward the light. Faint, misty drops began to dance around their heads. It was only a matter of time before the calm of the storm broke and a downpour began.

The shape of a fair-sized building built into the side of a hill emerged through the dark. The couple picked up their pace.

A lantern was swaying in the storm's gale out by the front door. Every now and then, the flame inside the lantern would flicker casting strange shadows over the building. It was difficult to see any features of the building other than that it was stone, however, there were a few windows that were comfortably well lit.

Serenity held on to Bakura's hand for dear life. The lodge wasn't too far off, but the wind was chilling her to the bone and the drizzle was getting heavier by the second.

Another fork of lightning lit the entire area followed by the inevitable thunder.

The auburn-haired girl cried out in surprise and fear and tightened her grip so much that her nails were clawing into Bakura's skin. But he didn't protest. He gave her hand a light squeeze as they ran towards the lodge.

100 meters to the door…

Bakura threw a glance at Serenity to make sure she was all right, and he began to sprint towards the lodge with Serenity in tow. The storm was about to break full-force right on top of them.

75 meters to the door…

Serenity gritted her teeth and kept fighting the gale and strengthening rain.

50 meters to the door…

A fork of lightning split a tree only feet from them. Sparks flew everywhere. Serenity shrieked in terror and leapt into Bakura's arms. Her hands clawed at the back of his neck and became entangled in his snowy hair. There was nothing left of the tree other than smoldering, charred remains.

"Oh g-gods, B-b-bakura," Serenity gasped into his neck, "I c-can't do th-this."

Bakura held her close, feeling shaken himself. "We're real close now, Serenity," he whispered to her ear, "Just hold on." He lay his chin on her shoulder and rubbed her back soothingly.

Another rumble of thunder drowned out Serenity's desperate sob. She clutched his neck in fear, but the realization of just how close they were to a sanctuary hit home. She nodded vigorously, and the two of them bounded forward once again.

25 meters to the door…

Serenity's foot fell into a hole, but she leapt out of it with cat-like agility.

10 meters…

5 meters…

Finally, they reached the door, panting heavily.

Bakura rapped upon the door, one arm holding Serenity about her slim shoulders. The rain began pouring all about them, and their only cover was a small overhang and their jackets.

Suddenly, the door was flung open. A bearded man in jeans and a sweatshirt stood in the doorway as a wave of heat flew past the two shivering teenagers. He was rough and very down-to-nature looking, but his eyes sparkled kindly at them. With ease, he maneuvered his brawny self so that the couple could get by.

The two stood in a fairly large stone hall that resembled a lobby of a hotel. Serenity pulled herself closer to Bakura, wondering what was going to happen.

"What brings two kids like you out here?" the large man asked as he closed the door behind them.

Serenity and Bakura looked at each other. There was a long story behind that question, but for the time being, Bakura decided to stay with the simple explanation: "We were stranded out here and we're hiking back home."

"Stranded?" the man looked at them quizzically as he stroked the stubby beard on his chin. "Ah, well. I can see this isn't a simple case."

They both followed the man to a homely sofa by a crackling fire in the hearth. Neither of them were very wet, but they were both shivering from the icy wind. Like the man who ran it, the travelers' lodge was a little rough-around-the-edges but still welcoming nonetheless.

"Well," the man said in his deep voice as he poked at the fire, "I'm Reiko, caretaker of this place."

"I'm Bakura," the white-haired teen said with a polite nod of his head.

"Serenity Wheeler. Thanks for taking us in," the pretty girl said with a nod of her head as she and Bakura sat down in the lumpy, corduroy couch. Her hands stretched towards the crackling flames. It was a really nice feeling to be inside a secure building when the storm was raging outside.

"No problem, Miss Serenity. That's my job." The man looked out one of the windows. "Some storm, eh? And to think it was so clear an hour ago."

Indeed, the entire sky was blocked by clouds giving the impression that the sun would never shine again. It wasn't the most awe-inspiring sight. Rather, Serenity and Bakura felt nervousness creep into their minds.

"Well, while you're here, you might as well tell me what happened to you two," Reiko said as he sat in a denim armchair not far from them.

Serenity shifted her weight nervously.

Bakura noticed this and turned to the lodge's manager, "Sir… do you have a functioning phone by any chance?"

Reiko looked at him in slight shock. "Well… yes. The communications here are all screwed up, but I do have a backup phone that runs through a satellite. However, it's really staticy."

"That's ok," Serenity said quickly, "If there's even a chance that I could get through..."

Bakura smiled at the petite girl's sudden energy.

Reiko scratched the back of his head. "All right, miss. The backup phone is in the room to the right there with the _Office _sign on it. Phone's bright red. You can't miss it."

The little girl leapt up. "Thank you so much, Mr. Reiko," then she gazed at Bakura, "Um…. What will you-"

The white-haired teen smiled at her and shook his head politely. "You go ahead. I'll be right here when you get back. I think Reiko deserves an explanation."

Serenity nodded and practically ran through the door. Sure enough, the phone was bright red. She marveled that all the electricity seemed to be working just fine here, unlike Sado City's half-power. But there was little room in Serenity's mind for anything else but to tell her brother that she was all right. That was the only thing that was weighing down her spirits.

She picked up the receiver and dialed their apartment's phone number: 877-435-9056. The rain was beating down on the roof overhead, but Serenity barely heard it. The phone was ringing, and she'd finally be able to tell her brother that she wasn't hurt.

Static kept breaking up the ringing. After a few rings, her own recorded voice filled her ears. That meant that Joey wasn't home. Serenity was a little worried when the line kept getting filled with static. It was worse than it had been before, most likely because of the storm that was correspondingly getting worse by the minute.

_"Hello. …ve reached Serenity and Joey …currently unavail… if you leave … message, we… back to you …soon… as …ible."_

Joey's little sister could barely make out the beep of the answering machine over the static.

"Joey? It's Serenity. Um… I just wanted to tell you that Bakura and I are all right. We're trying to get back home, and I just hope that you're not worrying about us. Well, I love you, big brother. Bye!"

Serenity hung up, hoping against hope that Joey would be able to hear what she was saying. But being the sweet little optimist that she was, Serenity brushed off her worry, figuring that Joey would be able to understand what she had said. She debated on calling someone else, Tea for instance, but she decided against it. Afterall, Joey was the only one who she'd desperately needed to talk to, and he would surely spread the word to everyone that she and Bakura were all right.

So without further ado, Serenity walked out of the office and back into the large hall. There, she was met by Bakura and Reiko deep in conversation.

"And you've been hiking all this time?" Reiko asked dumbfounded, after hearing the shortened version of just what these two teens had been through.

Bakura shrugged resignedly. "It may sound peculiar, but that's the truth." The albino boy turned to Serenity with kind eyes. "Did you get in touch with your brother?"

"Well, he wasn't home. I just left a message," Serenity said as she pursed her lips worriedly, "I hope he can hear me through all the static."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it," Reiko said, "But I'm sure you're both hungry and tired, am I right?"

Serenity and Bakura exchanged glances before nodding vigorously. Struggling through the unrelenting gale had taken a lot out of them, and it would be a nice change to have some oven-cooked food for once.

"Well, I have a pot of soup cooking right now, if you would care to join me," Reiko said in his booming voice while stroking his beard.

Twenty minutes later, Bakura and Serenity found themselves in a warm kitchen sitting around a large, circular table. The soup was delicious, although it could have just been the fact that it warmed them from the inside out. It was a nice mix of vegetables and chicken.

The howling wind was ripping around the stone building with an animal-like fury. The very sound of it sent shivers down Bakura's spine, but he was able to ignore it. Instead, he asked a question that had been burning in his mind for the past hour he'd spent in Reiko's company, "How is it that you have electricity?"

The burly man took another spoonful of his soup before answering. "Well, you said you passed through Sado City, and you heard that they had a backup generator."

"Yes."

"Well, it's not exactly _their _generator. The lodge built it for its own use, but Sado City negotiated for an emergency agreement. They get more than half the power in case of a storm like this, but the lodge still gets more than enough to run on full power."

Bakura nodded. "I see. And what if something happens to that generator?"

Reiko shrugged his wide shoulders and scratched at his beard. "Well, Sado City and this lodge won't have any power. Simple as that."

Serenity looked at Reiko quizzically. "Did you hear about the train wreck by any chance?"

He shook his head. "First off, this place doesn't have a television. Secondly, I've barely been able to reach anyone on that phone. It's a miracle that you even got through."

The petite girl sighed, and then yawned despite her effort to suppress it. Gosh, that was embarrassing.

Bakura chuckled. "Don't worry. I feel the same way, love."

"I can set you guys up with two rooms if you'd like," Reiko offered, cheerfully.

"Mmm… that would be nice," Serenity said, as another yawn escaped her. She watched almost numbly as a fork of lightning cracked outside. Memories of crackling intercoms and screeching train passengers rushed through her mind and she involuntarily grabbed the table's edge.

Bakura gently took her hand, knowing almost exactly what she was thinking. Her entire body visibly relaxed as she turned back to look at him.

Reiko made as if he was clearing their bowls, but really, he was watching them with sparkling eyes. As had the Sado City receptionist, he noticed what was going on between them with ease. It made him smile widely as he washed out the bowls and soup pot. He couldn't help but hear the two talking.

"How long do you think this storm will last?" Serenity whispered, shivering despite the warmth of the kitchen.

"I can't be sure. It all depends on how large it is and how fast the winds can carry it away," Bakura replied, pulling her in for a hug.

Reiko smiled and still pretended that he was washing the dishes.

"How much further till we get back to Domino?" Serenity asked into Bakura's shirt.

The British boy shook his head. "I don't know. But we'll get there."

Serenity looked up and locked eyes with Bakura. "I'm so glad you were on that train too, Bakura," she whispered and buried her head in his neck.

"Me too, love," Bakura replied, smiling.

Reiko chose that moment to come back. He waved his hand towards the kitchen door. "Would you like to see your rooms?"

The lodge certainly wasn't the largest building either of them had been in. For one thing, it was only one story and had somewhere around ten rooms in all. Obviously, not many travelers came by this valley. Either that or people had become accustomed to sharing. Whatever the reason, it didn't take too long to walk down the hall and turn left to find a homely little room with only a bed and nightstand.

"This will be your room, Miss Serenity," Reiko said with a gesture at the small compartment as he flicked on the light switch. "Yours is right across the hall. We'll leave this young lady to adjust."

Bakura took one last look at Serenity, who was setting down her bag under the windowsill and examining the small room. Knowing that she was safe, he followed the burly lodge manager to the room across the hall. It looked exactly the same as the last one except the bedcover was blue instead of red.

"There are two bathrooms both at the end of the hallway. You two can freshen up if you'd like," Reiko said, "My room is off of the office if you need anything."

With that, he lumbered off to take care of who-knows-what a lodge manager has to take care of.

Bakura sighed as he sat on the bed. _'A shower would be nice about now…And some sleep' _So the snowy-haired teen dug out a clean pair of boxers and a night shirt for himself. The bathroom was at the end of the hall, and so he walked out of his room only to bump straight into Serenity.

"Sorry, love," Bakura said, backing up a tad, "Do you need something?"

Serenity stared at her feet, seemingly embarrassed. "I… uh… I don't have anything to sleep in."

The British boy laughed lightly. "Is that all? I have another shirt you can borrow."

"You do?"

"Yes. Come on, I'll get it for you," Bakura motioned for her to follow him. He rifled through his bag for a moment before he came across an extra tee shirt he had. It would be large on her, but that was the point of pajamas, wasn't it? "Here you go."

"Thanks," Serenity said sheepishly as she walked out of his room headed for the shower.

Bakura paused to look out the window at the storm. It was so dark out now compared to an hour ago. He sighed, ran a hand through his snowy hair, and left his room for the other shower.

####

You would have thought that no one would be out in a storm like the one overhead. But sometimes it will take more than bad weather to stop someone.

A pair of green eyes glared at the window where he had just seen a faint figure with silver hair. Fear crept in, but the wiry man ignored it. Here he was, being pelted with this forsaken water and sleet, and he was afraid? No, he couldn't be. Or so he thought.

_'That boy took my pride the day I met him. I mean to get it back.'_

Thoroughly soaked, he made a beeline for the well-lit stone building, and then he reconsidered. Instead, he crept off into the shadows in search of another landmark… He knew this countryside fairly well, and if there was one thing that was easy to destroy, it was a backup generator.

####

Serenity stepped out of the shower, ready to pull on clean clothes. She cursed herself for forgetting to buy pajamas, but Bakura hadn't seemed at all angry at having to lend her something. She pulled on her underclothes and the large, red tee shirt over her head.

She hugged herself, letting Bakura's scent wash over her from the tee shirt. She wasn't exactly sure what he smelled like, but it was a sweet scent with a hint of cinnamon- fitting for him.

The young girl turned to look into the mirror as she dried her auburn hair patiently. In a way, her reflection was actually a comical sight. Being petite, Bakura's shirt hung down to halfway down her thighs, leaving her looking a little lost inside of it.

Within minutes, she was back in the hallway, preparing for a good night's sleep. Come to think of it, she was always ready for a good night's sleep nowadays… probably because once you live in the middle of the forest, you never know just when you'll get a real good night's sleep again.

She met Bakura in the middle of the hallway.

"Good night, Bakura," Serenity said, blushing at the sight of the British boy in boxers and a nightshirt.

"Good night, Serenity," Bakura replied, also blushing at seeing Serenity in only a baggy red tee shirt of his own.

They both paused inadvertently. Neither of them really wanted to leave the other, but at that moment, Reiko strolled by. They both smiled sheepishly and left to their respected rooms.

Serenity flicked off the light switch and crawled under the red covers of the bed. All she had to do now was fall peacefully asleep.

But she couldn't.

The petite girl rolled onto her side, thinking that maybe she'd fall asleep faster in that position.

Nope.

_'What is wrong with me? I'm dead tired. Why can't I sleep?'_

Now completely frustrated, Serenity rolled onto her back again.She shivered slightly under the covers. Something was just missing. Somehow, the rain pounding on her windowpanes was more threatening than it been moments before. Every creak of the branches or movement in the shadows caused her hands to clench on the covers in fear.

She just couldn't put her finger on what was wrong…

####

Bakura turned off his light and lay thinking in the darkness for a little while. Then he tried to sleep. But he was antsy and anxious about something.

He rubbed his temples, in an aggravated manner. Something was keeping him on his guard, and that same something was keeping him from sleeping.

Suddenly, Serenity's face swam into his mind.

'Oh gods… I can't just barge into her room to check up on her every five minutes.'

He turned over, willing himself to sleep. But it just wouldn't come.

The British boy couldn't deny that he missed her, although they'd only been apart for fifteen minutes or so. This was the first night in what seemed like forever that they hadn't slept right next to one another, and it was grating on him something awful.

Giving in to the fact that he wasn't going to be able to sleep like this, Bakura slipped out of bed and walked over to the window. The storm was still raging. In fact, it seemed as if they were in the very center of it all. The winds were ripping around the building faster than anything Bakura had ever seen before.

Sighing, Bakura flicked on his light. _'Now what?'_

Then he spied a book on his nightstand. It didn't seem exactly like his type of book, but it was something. So being the studious teen he was, Bakura picked up the book and began to read. But even that proved difficult. No matter what the characters in the story were doing, Serenity kept coming into view… her laugh… her eyes… the way she had treasured the rose behind her ear…

Bakura found that he had just read the same sentence five times. It was going to be a long night… He had no idea how true that was…

####

A loud crack of thunder made Serenity jump. She buried her head in the pillow, wishing she knew what was missing.

A few branches raked across her window, and the auburn-haired girl moaned in fear. It felt like someone had instantly taken away all of her security. But what exactly was that? Serenity pulled her knees up to her chest and inhaled deeply to calm her nerves.

Bakura's scent rushed into her head. And that was when she realized what it was that she was missing. She had once even said that any moment that she spent away from him was one of the longest moments of her life, hadn't she? Now, the frightened girl knew just how true that had been.

Her entire body quaked at the sudden fork of lightning outside. All of this would have seemed much more trivial if she could just be near the British boy who had so quickly become her hero.

Without another thought, Serenity threw off her covers and cautiously opened her door. The cold stone floor of the hallway made the petite girl shuffle her feet to keep the chill from sinking in. She couldn't help but notice that light was shining from underneath his door.

Shyly, Serenity stood in front of his door, debating on whether or not he should disturb him. Afterall, what if he thought she was stupid or something alone those lines? _'No. Bakura wouldn't think that.'_

The petite girl rapped timidly on his door.

Leaning against the headboard, Bakura looked over the top of his book at the door. He wondered if it was Serenity, but he somehow doubted it. "It's open."

The door creaked open. Bakura caught his breath as Serenity's pretty head peeked around the door.

"Bakura?" she whispered shifting her bare legs nervously, hoping he wouldn't think she was an idiot.

"Yes?" Bakura put down the book that he hadn't actually been reading, and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

"Ummm…" Serenity stared at her feet, feeling heat rise into her cheeks, "I couldn't sleep."

The British teen smiled kindly. "I know how you feel. I couldn't either."

Her head shot up. "Really?" This gave the timid girl her confidence back. "I got kinda lonely and…"

_CRACK!_

Thunder crackled right outside the window.

Serenity leapt into Bakura's arms, her entire small body shivering wildly. "… the storm scared me," she finished meekly.

"It's all right," Bakura said while absently stroking her hair with his chin laying on the top of her head, "I was a little lonely myself."

Serenity pulled away and looked fearfully at the window in a way that almost made it appear that she had seen a large monster snorting at the pane. It was nice not being the only person in a room with the walls closing in about her. Now that there was Bakura, the petite girl felt secure, and that sudden security made her smile.

"Hey, what are you reading?" Serenity said as she bounded over and jumped on Bakura's bed, landing on her knees.

The white-haired teen shook his head, grinning at her cute antics. "A weird scifi someone must have left here," he replied as he sat calmly on the edge of the bed.

Serenity was currently reading the book jacket and biting her lip in concentration. "Sounds… strange… to say the least."

"It is, believe me," Bakura replied with a laugh. From the little he'd actually been able to read, it had indeed been very out-there so to speak. He watched her eyes sparkle in the cheap, artificial light while she flipped through the pages. Everything from that one moment by the waterfall began washing over him, "Serenity?"

The girl looked up and smiled sweetly.

The typically shy boy breathed deeply and leaned a bit closer. "Serenity, I…"

Suddenly, they were plunged into utter darkness.

Serenity cried out in surprise, catching Bakura's hand with her's in a panic. In response, the British teen swung his other arm around her back and drew her into him protectively. Neither of them could see the other's face. Once the artificial light was taken away, there was nothing for miles to give any means of seeing. It made the hair on the back of Bakura's neck stand on end. They were virtually out in the middle of nowhere and now with no electricity.

A bolt of lightning lit up the sky, illuminating their faces before the dark slammed back in.

"What h-happened?" Serenity stuttered.

The door banged open and a flashlight glared menacingly in their faces. "Are you two all right?" Reiko asked scanning their faces with his flashlight while they squinted blindly into the sudden beam of light.

"Yes, we're fine," Bakura answered, "But do you know what's wrong?"

Reiko lowered the flashlight to the ground. Irritably, he rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. "Probably a short in the generator. It's nothing I can't fix."

"How far away is it?" Serenity asked worriedly, unintentionally tightening her grip on Bakura's arm.

The burly caretaker grunted. "Not far. It's just over the hill into the valley behind this building. I should be back soon, once the power is back on. You two just stay here and try to get some sleep." He turned on heel and left the room- off to face the storm.

Serenity and Bakura clung to one another. Both of them knew that they wouldn't be able to sleep without the other, and so it was some amount of minutes before either of them made a move.

Bakura slowly relaxed his hold on the slender girl. Every move he made was reluctant.

"Bakura," Serenity began timidly, "I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep tonight. Could I just stay here?"

The British teen did a double take, wondering if he'd just imagined that. "Sure, if it will make you feel better."

"It will," Serenity breathed in relief.

####

Reiko trudged through over the hill with his rain jacket doing its best to block the downpour. The wind was vicious, and even the burly man had trouble fighting through it.

The caretaker sighed as the beam of his flashlight fell upon the generator. Nothing seemed outwardly wrong with it, for which Reiko was extremely thankful. It must have been an internal problem. For the confidence of the two teens, he had made himself be confident that he could fix it. But if it was a real serious problem, then he might not be able to.

Hopefully, it was just a short as he had said.

Reiko took out his key to get inside the small room that held the power station's controls, only to find that the lock had been forced open. In fact, the door was banging in the wind.

He took the handle and opened the door. "Who's in here?" his voice boomed forcefully.

There was no answer, but a scuttling sound in the shadows.

"I'm warning you, it's a felony to come in here without permission," Reiko crossed his arms over his chest. It was probably just some stupid kid following a dare. "I won't turn you in if you give up now."

Still, there was no reply.

Reiko shrugged. Right now, he had to concentrate on getting power back to the lodge and Sado City. He bent down to see the computer console. Sure enough, the thing had shorted out… but not by itself. Someone had programmed it to short out by itself.

"That's strange…"

"Strange?" A voice hissed evilly from directly behind him. "No. It's ingenious."

####

They both just sat for a few minutes, letting their eyes adjust to the dark. Before long, they were able to discern each other's faces.

The storm was still raging outside, but they found that it was no longer as menacing now that they were in one another's presence. Serenity suddenly broke the calm silence, "Do you want to play cards?"

Bakura smiled. "Duel Monsters or Speed?"

Serenity laughed, thinking of how the moment on the train when they'd been faced with the comical misunderstanding. "I was thinking Speed, that's provided we have a deck."

"I bought one back in Sado City for just such an occasion."

Serenity swung her bare legs over the side of the bed. "I have the flashlight in my bag. I should go get it."

Bakura nodded. "Good idea, love. I'll find the cards."

The petite girl stepped back out into the hallway and immediately froze as she felt a bad feeling stir inside her. The hallway was dark, and she could barely see five feet down the corridor. With the wind howling just outside, Serenity felt a panic rise inside of her. Swallowing and wringing her hands, Serenity walked determinedly into her own room.

But that horrified feeling did not go away. Instead, it got worse.

Serenity felt her entire body stiffen. Her bag was by the window. It wasn't like she had to go outside or something of the like, but she had the distinct feeling that someone was watching her.

The small girl cast a look over her shoulder, but nothing was there. Her eyes scanned the room, but she found nothing out of place. So Serenity made her way carefully to the window, bending down on one knee.

For a few frantic moments, she rifled through her pack until she felt the circular handle of the flashlight. Her fingers curled around it securely, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Now she could just go right across the hall, and this weird feeling would go away.

'I'm being ridiculous. There isn't anyone watching me.'

Serenity lifted her head to the height of the windowpane and froze, mortified.

####

Bakura was calmly shuffling the cards, calmly waiting for Serenity to return.

A shrill scream ripped through the entire building.

Bakura's head whipped around. He dropped the cards, allowing them to scatter all over the floor. In an instant, he dashed across the hall.

"SERENITY?!"

The petite girl had fallen backwards, supporting herself only by her arms behind her. The flashlight had rolled off a few feet from her, now forgotten. Her entire body was trembling, and her head was turned to the side with her eyes tightly shut. When she heard Bakura's voice, her eyes snapped open, but she didn't move although it did appear that she wanted to.

Bakura knelt beside her, and she curled up against his chest. "What happened, love?"

Serenity was still shivering, small tears brimming in her eyes. "Th-there were eyes in th-the w-window."

The British teen looked to the window, but there was nothing there. Whatever she'd seen was gone now. Seemingly to prove that, a streak of lightning temporarily lit the surrounding area. Nothing out of the ordinary could be seen.

"I s-swear there w-was someone th-there," Serenity whispered, crying quietly

"Sshhh. It's ok. I believe you," Bakura cooed into her ear, rocking her gently back and forth to calm her nerves. If there really was something or some_one _out there, they should move out of this room. "Come on, love. We should move."

Serenity shuddered, but she was able to grab her pack, and with some help from Bakura, could shakily stand on her feet. "Wh-where are w-we going to g-go?"

The sound of glass shattering from one room over made them both jump.

Bakura's mind was racing. It could have shattered from the storm, but his guess was that it was someone trying to get at them. "For now, we go as far away from that noise as we can."

######

Elenion: Well, the next chapter should be up sometime within the week. Comments, etc are appreciated. Love ya!


	9. Connecting The Dots

**A TRAIN OF THOUGHTS**

Elenion: Yu-Gi-Oh and anything related to it do not belong to me. So now for the "Reviewer Responses":

Lily of the Shadow- You think I could be a suspense novelist, really? Thanks! I don't know if I'd have the stamina for that, though… Hmm. Well, keep reading and I'll keep writing. You know, if this thing goes on long enough, it might end up being novel-length anyways…

Jieli- Wow. Great play-by-play reviews. Thanks, that was awesome! It's really nice to have a chapter by chapter commentary. I'll try my best to respond to all of those (might take a while). First off, thanks for the compliments. It's always nice to have a an ego-boost every once in a while. But yes… Bakura did fall pretty hard and fast. It's just kinda the way I pictured it, I guess. I also tried to make Serenity more than a damsel-in-distress, and I'm glad you liked that. Pete was one of my favorite side-characters so far. I'm not sure why… And yeah, the Cobra guy does need to get over it, but I think that's just the way people like him are. Well, I'm glad you liked it! Hope to hear from you again!

AnimeFreakos- All I can say is thanks. I mean, it gives me that fuzzy feeling inside to hear that this is one of your favorite stories. And about the serious writing thing: it took me a little while to teach myself how to write serious stuff. It can be really hard, but then, writing comedy can be hard too… I dunno. Just one of those things I guess.

CrimsonEyedAngel99- You read this for a half hour? Lol. Yeah, I know my chapters tend to be on the long side. And don't worry, I have to intention of discontinuing this story anytime soon, so I will indeed continue… and I'll try to update as quickly as possible. And you're falling for this pairing? Well, thanks. I guess I'm doing my job pretty well. It was great to hear from you!

trueyamigirlfriend- Looking back, Chapter 8 was pretty ominous, huh? I just hope that I did as good of a job with this chapter… Especially if the last chapter made you shiver, I hope this one isn't anticlimactic or anything like that. Thanks for the compliment!

demonlady61636- Hmm… No. I didn't know that Tom Collins was a character in _The Stand, _but I've only read a handful of Stephen King's books. Thanks for the FYI, and I'm sorry if that name caused you any confusion or something. You know, one of my friends also reminded me the other day that Tom Collins is the name of one of the main characters in the musical _Rent_. I guess it must be common name.

Elenion: Onward…

######

**CHAPTER 9: Connecting The Dots**

No matter how long it had taken, Joey had finally given in to the fact that his friends were the only things shielding him from insanity. It was past midnight by now, and he shuffled back into his lonesome apartment, feeling slightly numb to the world.

That reporter, Jane, had really gotten under his skin. It had taken hours for him to calm down and let his friends console him. That unfeeling woman had tried to manipulate him, he now realized, by asking him twisted questions. But no matter what, he still felt that he could never play Duel Monsters again after he'd lost his sister and one of his best friends.

The small red light on the answering machine was blinking.

_'Must be another damn reporter.' _Joey growled, looking at the caller ID and seeing that he didn't recognize the number.

Sighing, Joey pressed the play button. Whoever it was had an awful line. Only a few words were distinguishable, and Joey almost deleted it. Something made him stop as he listened to the static-filled message.

_"Joey? It's… Um… tell you … all right … home, and… hope that you… not worrying… I love… Bye!"_

Joey stared at the answering machine. The voice had sounded so similar to Serenity's. He was in turmoil at this point. He suddenly grabbed the phone and dialed Yugi's number.

"Hello?"

"Yug? It's Joey."

There was a pause. "Um… are you ok?"

"Yeah. I just got dis message, and I swear it could be from Serenity," Joey felt himself trying to find the replay button in his flustered state. His dead eyes had suddenly regained a spark of their previous life.

"Uhhh… right. Can I hear it?"

Joey began pressing buttons without looking. He didn't look at what he was doing until he heard: _"Message deleted."_

The golden-blonde boy stared in horror. "Oh _no_… Yug? I just deleted it."

On the other line, Yugi sighed. "Joey, I hate to say this, but I think you're imagining things. It was probably just a wrong number." What he was really thinking was that his friend was still in denial, and he needed to get over it as quickly as possible.

Joey ran a hand through his hair. "I dunno, man. I just think sometimes that if she was really…de- well, you-know, then I'd know it. Kinda a sixth sense, ya know?"

"Whatever you say, Joey," Yugi said in pity, "Look, I have to go to bed, or my grandpa's going to have a bird. Good luck, Joey."

Click. Dial tone.

It was several minutes before Joey stepped away from the answering machine. What if it really had been Serenity? He shook his head wildly, and he figured that Yugi was probably right. His depressed mind was just playing tricks on him. As much as he couldn't accept it, Serenity was gone.

######

Bakura felt the wall of the dark hallway for both a guide and comfort as he and the petite girl grasping his hand made a run for it. Where exactly they were going, Bakura didn't know, but wherever it was, they had to get there fast.

The albino teen stopped in his tracks as he felt the wall end. He peered with difficulty into the vast space of what he assumed was the large hall. Unfortunately, they had forgotten the flashlight in Serenity's room. "Serenity, where was the office?" he whispered to the girl he could barely see.

"Um…" Involuntarily, her other hand shot out and gripped Bakura's arm as another pang of crashing glass rushed into her ears. "It was…" She unwittingly took the lead and tugged Bakura into the depths of the room, both of them walking practically blind. "… here." Serenity gently pushed open the door, peeking inside.

There was another sound- but not of shattering glass. This time, it was footsteps and the rattling noise of a doorknob being turned.

Serenity threw the door open, and she and Bakura flew inside the office. Bakura closed the door with a slight click, hoping that it hadn't been heard. The rain was still pounding on the roof, but it seemed to have lightened.

The room was cluttered with papers and tools from a large toolbox. Everything was centered around the only clean thing- a large desk- in the middle of the room. It was one of those old-fashioned desks with a piece of wood blocking the feet of whoever was sitting there. Serenity was leaning on the desk, trying to calm herself. The poor thing was hyperventilating from stress. "Oh gods… Oh gods…"

"I wish we had that flashlight," Bakura muttered to himself. There was only one window in the entire room, and every now and then a bolt of lightning would light the entire place. Bakura leaned against the door, trying to hear what noise he could from the other side of it.

There was a faint shuffling sound from not too far away…

It was getting closer…

Bakura's eyes widened. "Serenity, he's coming in here!" he whispered urgently. In one graceful motion, the British boy grabbed her around the waist and slid over the top of the desktop. Together they dove underneath the desk.

Just in time…

The door slammed open.

They clutched one another underneath the desk, with Serenity pressed on top of Bakura, who was still grasping her by her slim waist. Bakura was able to see through a small crack between the floor and the board the booted feet of a man standing in the doorway. He could practically feel the man's eyes scanning everything in the room.

Every second seemed to pass by like an hour…

The feet took a few halting paces into the room. They kicked a few papers across the floor as if examining them.

Serenity swallowed and tightened her grip on the front of Bakura's nightshirt. Bakura ran his fingers gently through her hair as he watched.

The booted feet had decided to move again. This time, they walked over to the side of the room, before slowly turning on heel and leaving. The door slammed in place behind him.

Bakura breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Are you all right, love?"

Relaxing her grip, Serenity slowly nodded. "I'm fine." Diving beneath a desk for cover had reminded her of another instance when her father had lost his temper.

"What an awful time for Reiko to leave," the white-haired teen grumbled softly. "Serenity, I think if we could get the power to come back on, we'd be able to better fend off whoever's after us."

Serenity nodded again.

"I'm going after Reiko," Bakura said determinedly.

Even through the darkness, he could see Serenity' honey-colored eyes widen in innocent alarm. "Oh gods, no. Bakura, it's too dangerous."

But Bakura had already made up his mind. "Stay here. I don't want you to get hurt." He cautiously rolled over onto his side and let Serenity slide to the floor. He made as if to get up, but Serenity's hand caught his arm.

"Bakura, you can't go out in this weather dressed like… that," Serenity whispered urgently.

It was only then that the white-haired teen recalled just what he was wearing- boxers and a nightshirt. You wouldn't exactly call that the best cover for a thunderstorm. He blushed, somewhat embarrassed, but he didn't really see what he could do about it. "I don't really have a choice…"

Serenity grabbed her pack that she had toted with her. It lay next to her head after their little dive-under-the-desk episode. "Here," she handed him a pair of his own jeans, one of his own tee shirts, and his rain jacket, "These ended up in my bag, and I think they might be handy about now." Then she tossed him something else. "And this."

It was a pocketknife. Just in case…

Bakura didn't even paused to wonder how on earth his clothes got into her bag. It probably happened when he had tried to put all the lighter objects in her bag so that she wouldn't exhaust herself from carrying bulk. He stood up carefully, while pulling on the jeans and tee shirt. This wasn't exactly going to be his idea of fun.

Suddenly, the petite girl was right next to him. "Bakura, I want to come with you."

The couple froze, as there was the noise of a door slamming open from not too far away. It seemed that the man after them was still determinedly checking every room for a sign.

This made Bakura reconsider. If he left Serenity in the office alone, then she ran a high risk of being caught. He swallowed. But it might be even more dangerous to take her with him.

It was Serenity who spoke first in a barely audible whisper: "How are you planning on getting out of here?"

Bakura gestured silently at the window in the back of the office. But now that he looked at it, it didn't seem possible. The way the building was positioned on the hill, this particular window presented at least a twenty-foot drop down to the ground below. He furrowed his brow, worriedly and turned back to Serenity.

She seemed to know what he was thinking.

"I suppose I'll have to go through the front door," Bakura whispered, dejectedly. As brave as he could sometimes be, he didn't think that he'd be able to make it through the front door without being detected.

"I was thinking," Serenity said, quietly fixing Bakura with her sweet eyes in the dark, "that I could be a distraction."

The British boy stared in both horror and awe at the girl standing before him. She was so unlike any other girl he'd ever met. Here she was, in the pitch black with some unknown man out to get her, and she was offering to distract this man thus risking her life. "Serenity…"

"You've risked your life for me a number of times now," Serenity said, meekly and yet full of resolve, "And I just wanted to repay you somehow."

Bakura was still at a loss. "I can't let you do that for me."

"Please, Bakura. It's the only way you'll be able to find Reiko and get the power to come back on." Serenity pleaded. "And then whoever this guy is won't have such a huge advantage over us."

He stared at her in disbelieving silence.

"I just want this to be over. _Please! _I'm really sc-scared." Serenity hugged herself and shut her eyes tightly.

Immediately, as if it were an instinct, Bakura pulled her into his own arms. His mind was whirling over all his possibilities, but it seemed that Serenity was right. It did indeed seem that the only way he was going to succeed in finding Reiko and getting the power to come back on was if he went through the front door. If he tried any other window, he would have to get into a different room, and that would be nearly impossible. But getting through the front door required a distraction, and unless he was feeling up to sending Serenity out into the rain for Reiko, she would have to be the distraction.

The British boy sighed, defeated. "All right, Serenity. I don't like this, but you're right."

The girl looked up just in time to see his entire face become illuminated by a fork of lightning. The thunder rumbled after it. Slowly, she nodded and she touched his face lightly.

"Just be careful, love," Bakura whispered as he relaxed his hold on her.

Serenity smiled, although he couldn't see it in the dark. "I could say the same to you." Carefully, she reached down and slung her bag over her shoulder. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, which sent them both into unseen crimson blushes.

They grabbed hands and stood before the closed door. It suddenly seemed very ominous and dark compared to moments before. Now that it came to it, Serenity really didn't know what she was going to do to distract whoever it was out there. She couldn't be too obvious, and yet, she couldn't be too quiet either.

Bakura gave her hand a squeeze. "I'll count to three," he said while sliding on his rain jacket.

"One…"

Serenity closed her eyes tightly and opened them again. Should she scream or just make a run for it?

"Two…"

Bakura kept feeling second thoughts, and the more his mind dwelt on this subject, the more he was worried about what might happen to Serenity. But it was too late now.

"Three!"

Serenity twisted the doorknob and swung the office door open possibly harder than she had meant to due to nerves. All her breath was caught in her throat as she made a mad dash for the hallway at the other side of the vast room. Her foot connected accidentally with a fire poker, sending it rattling across the floor. Inadvertently, she had made enough noise to attract anyone's attention.

Bakura nimbly wove through the shadows, trying to keep an eye on Serenity at the same time. He didn't like the sound of that poker banging across the floor. It would attract too much attention, but then that had been the point hadn't it? With one last worried glance over his shoulder, Bakura managed to open the front door and slip out unnoticed.

The rain came pouring down all over him, but even he had to admit that it wasn't as bad as it had been before. It was a nuisance that the water was dripping from the top of his hood into his eyes, but the albino teen had faced worse than this before. He was running up the hill, following the only thing he had to go on: what Reiko had said about the location of the generator… _"It's just over the hill into the valley behind this building."_

So that's where he was headed. Panting, Bakura reached the top of the hill. He peered through the ominous rain around the valley below him. Water was flying into his eyes, blocking his vision and making it hard to locate his hand in front of his face let alone a backup generator.

He squinted and was able to see the dim shape of a power station through the trees. But going down this slope was going to be a hazardous, slow journey, and Serenity might not have that long…

Acting on an impulse, Bakura took a slight jump and slid down the wet and muddy hill as if he were on a skateboard. The generator was coming closer by the second, and the only thing Bakura found himself suffering were some muddy jeans.

_'Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought.'_

####

Serenity dove over the couch and crouched behind it. Footsteps were running towards her. At least it had worked. For the second time since this expedition began, she had successfully diverted a predator from Bakura. But also for the second time, she knew she couldn't run forever.

Whatever she did, the petite girl couldn't get the image of those leering eyes out of her head… watching her from the window. The very thought of those somehow familiar eyes made her shudder violently. _'Where have I seen those eyes before?'_

The footsteps stopped not far from the couch. Serenity took this as her opportunity to make a break for the hallway.

A flash of lightning lit the entire room.

Serenity froze and whirled to see an evil-looking man grinning at her. She had been seen- curse the weather. And now she was a sitting duck for whatever this man had in mind. He seemed very familiar… But then something clicked in her memory. A fight by the light of a fire in a cavern… not too long ago…

Another blinding flash.

Recognition dawned in her face. It was that raider from the cavern- the icy one with the green eyes and greasy black hair. He had tracked them all the way since then.

The darkness shut back in again, but Serenity couldn't move. _'I knew I recognized those eyes. Who could forget them?'_

Through the dark of the hall, she heard a distant chuckle. "So you know me, little girl? I thought you would."

####

Reiko awoke, groaning on the floor. He shifted his burly weight and opened his eyes.

"Why am I here?"

Everything was so fuzzy. He couldn't remember why he had come down here, or better yet, he couldn't recall why was lying prone on the floor. Of course he recognized where he was… the backup generator control room… but why?

As he rolled from his stomach onto his back, he felt a burning sensation in the back of his neck. Slowly and almost drunkenly, he put his hand to the point where it hurt. Immediately, his hand flinched back. His neck was wet, and it wasn't wet with sweat or water.

The brawny lodege-caretaker coughed and moaned in pain. Faint flashbacks were coming to him:

A power outage… A voice behind him… Feeling something sharp rip across the back of his neck… Falling to the floor…

Everything was so fuzzy. He was losing blood fast.

Reiko lay staring at a darkening ceiling, trying to recall the face… harsh features, wiry figure, greasy black hair… But it was those icy green eyes that really made the impression.

Haltingly, the caretaker ripped off a piece of his coat sleeve, wadded it, and carefully tied it about his neck. Pain shot through his spine, but the man was able to ignore it. He slowly got to his feet. He had to warn those two kids that there was someone capable of murder lurking around.

His head reeled, and he grasped the generator's control panel for support. Lying on the lit control panel, he found his flashlight along with a heavy worker's wrench. The caretaker picked up the wrench. _'If only I'd seen this before that bastard slashed me across the neck and left me for dead. I'll kill that punk if he ever comes back.'_

Suddenly, he froze at the sound of someone turning the doorknob.

####

Bakura slowly creaked the door open and peeked into the small control room. There didn't seem to be anyone there, and the room was mostly dark except for a lighted control monitor. It sure was a nice generator if it was hooked to a computer.

The British boy pivoted lightly looking everywhere for Reiko, but he saw no sign of the burly caretaker. His heart sank. That meant he'd have to figure out how to fix the generator by his lonesome self. But Bakura was able to reason with himself that he was fairly good when it came to electronics, so it couldn't be _that_ hard, right?

He took a few steps toward the console, but he heard a small shuffling noise behind him. He stopped short and whirled.

Seemingly out of nowhere, something solid metal crashed into the side of Bakura's head with immense power.

Bakura saw everything spin in front of him as he fell straight onto his back without so much as noise. Black crept over his vision and Ryou Bakura completely lost contact with the world.

But someone else hadn't…

If ever, this was a golden opportunity for the tombrobber of the Millennium Ring. His host was completely out of the way for once, and Yami Bakura found himself chuckling in glee as he effortlessly took over his hikari's body.

Reiko beamed his flashlight into his victim's face. His rage disappeared in a split second and was replaced with jaw-dropping shock. He swallowed.

"K-kid?"

In his sudden haste and rage, the muscley lodgekeeper had knocked the poor boy upside the head with his wrench. He'd gotten the wrong person. Haltingly, due to both shock and blood loss, Reiko knelt by Bakura's head and waved a hand in front of his face.

The British boy's eyes snapped open, shining coldly in the white light of the flashlight. A twisted grin flashed over his face as he turned his narrowed eyes to stare at the stuttering caretaker.

"K-kid, a-are y-you ok?" Reiko said, "I… I'm r-real s-sorry. I th-thought…" His voice trailed off as he looked into those deep brown eyes. They were chilling him to the bone, and somehow, the scruffy man thought for a moment that maybe this wasn't the same person. Those eyes were looking at him with a murderous spark that scared Reiko stiff. Everything about the usually compassionate boy was gone, and instead, it was replaced with an icily cold being.

"Miserable fool," Yami Bakura sneered, easily picking himself up onto his feet, "You don't know what you've done, do you?"

The voice was deeper and gruffer than Reiko remembered it, but it still had that signature British accent. This was all so strange. Reiko shakily picked himself up from his kneeling position. The air about Bakura was now dark and menacing. It caused the brawny lodgekeeper to take a step back.

The soft angles of Ryou Bakura's face had turned angular and sharp. Even his long, silver hair had become less sparkling and grimmer. If it was possible, he appeared taller than he had seemed before. And those eyes… Merciless and dark to the heart.

The caretaker shook his head. It was probably the blood loss affecting the images in his mind. He still had that coat sleeve tied about his neck, but one touch to it and he felt that it was already soaked through. "I… I…"

Yami Bakura grinned again, not taking those bitter eyes off his prey. He reached into his pocket and drew out his hikari's pocketknife. Wordlessly, he opened a blade and held it before his eyes, sadistically watching it gleam in the beam of the flashlight. He then spoke in a voice that could raise the dead, "I think you'll find that I'm not like my hikari. Not in the least."

"What… What do you mean?"

The tombrobber's grin widened evilly. And then he sprang.

####

Serenity was exposed.

She was out in the middle of large room with a vengeful criminal who knew exactly where she was. In the dark…

"I suppose you know why I'm here?" the icy man said through the space between them.

Serenity could hear him take a step forward. She corresponded by taking a step backwards and remained silent. Every sound- from her own heart pounding to the pound of the downpour outside- was sharp and loud to her alert mind. Adrenaline was rushing through her veins like there was no tomorrow.

"I've wanted revenge on him since the moment I met him. And all I want now is to know _how _a kid like that could ever beat me." He hissed and grimaced as he clutched at an old wound on his chest. A bullet wound from a certain Cobra punk… "And unfortunately for you, sweetheart, I'm _not_ dead."

The petite auburn-haired girl bit her lip, worriedly, and took another few paces backwards toward the kitchen. There was nowhere she could really hide from him, but Serenity wasn't about to hand herself over as a self-proclaimed prisoner. This felt so familiar… trapped by an overconfident criminal who wanted nothing from her but to use and hurt her.

Another bright flash lit the entire room.

Those icy green eyes looked her up and down, and a smirk rose on his thin lips. "Nice outfit."

Serenity's eyes widened as she looked down and self-consciously realized that she was still wearing only Bakura's tee shirt. Desperately, she tugged lightly on the hem of the shirt in a vain attempt to cover her bare legs from sight.

The criminal only chuckled deeply in his throat at her desperation and continued, "That mere _kid_ took everything from me, and now, I plan to take everything from him," he cracked his slimy neck to the side, "… starting with _you_, little girl."

Serenity gasped and leapt over the armchair. With catlike agility, she sprang through the kitchen door, hearing the hurried footsteps of the wiry man coming after her.

####

Twenty-one times the tombrobber had plunged the pocketknife into the man's chest. Yami Bakura mercilessly crouched down in front of the dying caretaker. He laughed diabolically at the feeble attempts of the man to stay alive when it was inevitable that he would die. Feeling wonderful, Yami Bakura licked some of the slick blood off his fingers, marveling in the sharp and tangy taste.

"And that," Yami Bakura hissed, leaning out over the poor man's broken body, "is the difference between me and my hikari."

Reiko pawed weakly in Yami Bakura's direction from his position on the floor as if trying to attack him. He had never suspected an attack from the nice boy who had shown up holding that sweet girl so protectively. The caretaker tried to speak, but the only thing that came out was a pathetic gurgle.

Yami Bakura laughed again. "No, I'm far from the same person as the soft little boy you knew. It's really to bad you knocked him out cold… he might have helped you… somehow."

But there was still a small spark in Reiko's spirit that the emotionless yami could not have seen or expected. Summoning his vanishing strength, he lashed out with his muscley legs and smashed them straight into Yami Bakura's chest.

The tombrobber was caught by complete surprise. His was sent sliding painfully over the tiled floor.

_BAM!_

Yami Bakura's head connected solidly with the wall, sending the stirring spirit of Ryou Bakura back into control.

To hikari Bakura, everything was reeling. His hand groped out to grab something to support himself in the dark. He couldn't remember why he was on the floor. _'I must have blacked out.' _

Slowly the memory of turning to see Reiko bearing a wrench down on him trickled into his memory, and that triggered the memory of hitting the floor. It was all so blurry…

His searching hand found something and gripped onto whatever it was. Something on it was slippery and made it difficult to grab. Sliding his hand over what felt like a slippery bar, Bakura found that the entire thing was slippery. He tried once more to get a good hold and felt liquid squeeze in between his fingers. He grimaced at the disgusting sensation, but he was thankfully able to get a good grip and pull himself to his feet.

The side of his head hurt something awful. Obviously, that was where Reiko had spastically hit him. But his chest was aching too. _'What's that about?'_

Bakura stared around the control room and was suddenly bewildered. He knew he had been near the door when Reiko had hit him, so why was he on the opposite side of the room now? This was just too weird.

A beam of a flashlight was easily seen on floor near the wall. Bakura walked slowly towards it. A spasm of pain ran through Bakura's forehead and he lightly touched his temples. But then he stopped…

His hand was wet.

So it had been his hand that was slippery and not the bar. But what could his hands be wet with? Curious, he raised his hands in front of his face, but he could barely see anything through the pitch black of the room. All he could tell was that the liquid was dark. That ruled out water.

Bakura frowned as he bent to pick the flashlight off the tiled floor. He immediately fixed the light on his hands and froze in shock.

There was no mistaking that crimson color…

####

Serenity looked wildly around the kitchen for a place to hide. Granted, she knew she couldn't run forever, but at least she could give herself an unexpected advantage. Such strange things you learn when you have a father who loves you one moment and loathes you the next.

She took a chance and slid behind the door so that she wouldn't be immediately spied when that horrible criminal came through the kitchen door.

A few moments later, the door was pushed open gently so as not to make any noise. The wiry man slid in pushed it against the wall ever so quietly. He didn't even notice the girl in place between the wall and the door. Instead, he was very intent about settling his unwavering gaze on every place that was large enough to hide a teenage girl. It never even occurred to him that she might be hiding in the most obvious place of all of them: behind the door.

Holding her breath, Serenity closed her eyes and tried to think up some type of ingenious, spontaneous plan. Every single thing that she thought of required some sort of electricity, and unfortunately for her, that wouldn't help in her in the least.

"I know you're here," the man hissed icily, walking slowly around the kitchen. "You might as well come out."

But Serenity wasn't stupid.

She slid her pack gently off her shoulder, just in case she needed to make a run for it. However, she had forgotten that her pack had the first aid kit. The iodine bottle and snakebite anti-venom bottle clinked together inside the kit. That was just enough noise to get the raider's attention.

The raider pivoted on one foot and sprang in her direction.

Serenity took a quick breath and leapt silently and agilely around to the other side of the door. Thinking fast, she grabbed hold of the door as he aimed for the spot she had been before- unaware that she had moved. With a hard thwack she slammed the door straight into his unsuspecting face.

Forgetting all dignity, the green-eyed raider yowled in severe pain, clutching his noise as he stumbled backwards in the dark.

This was Serenity's chance to make a run for it. She flew through the kitchen doorway, but the petite girl was jerked roughly back by her forearm.

"I'll get you for that, little girl," he hissed into her ear as he pulled her right up to his wiry chest. He may have had a broken nose from her clever little deception, but he wasn't going to let that spoil his revenge. He wrapped both his arms tightly across her middle.

Serenity squirmed violently in his harsh grip. It was unnerving how quickly he had recovered.

The harder she squirmed, the more he'd tighten his hold. Serenity was soon gasping for air; he was clutching her that cruelly.

"You know, you look like an angel," he growled, with his breath hot on the side of her pale neck, "But you fight like a cat."

Serenity's peaches-and-cream complexion drained of blood at the ironic proximity to the nickname from her father. Any reference that was close to 'kitten' put Serenity on edge. Serenity struggled, her nails biting into the wiry arms that were squeezing out her air.

####

Bakura dropped the flashlight to the floor. He felt like a dead man as he stared in utmost horror at his blood-covered hands. The poor teen was in shock, shuddering uncontrollably.

It took a few long moments for Bakura to get his wits back in order. He took a deep breath and rubbed his hands on the sides of his pants. At least that way, it wasn't always in his view. He carefully bent down to retrieve the flashlight on the floor. His hand was shaking as he touched the handle.

Then somehow, Bakura looked over into the pool of light that the flashlight was sending towards the door. His eyes widened in alarm, and he let out a surprised yell and backed up against the wall.

Reiko.

Leaning against the wall, the usually composed Bakura found it extremely unnerving that he was falling apart so quickly. He took a deep breath and walked carefully over to the caretaker. He cringed slightly at the sight of the burly man's gaping wounds, but he didn't let that stop him. Bakura knelt down and haltingly put his fingers to the man's neck, feeling hopefully for a pulse. There was nothing.

Bakura shut his eyes and took a breath. None of this made sense. _'How could this have happened?'_

He slapped his hand on the ground in anger. And he felt something hard. Bakura slowly picked it up and held it level with his eyes.

_'What is my pocketknife doing here?' _

Then something seemed to dawn on Bakura. It was an inkling of an idea, but it scared him like hell, and it was most definitely possible. He shuddered at the thought of the blood on his hands.

_'Yami… did you do this?'_

But something else dawned on Bakura.

_'Serenity… Oh gods…'_

All of those other concerns were shoved to the back of his mind. Bakura rushed over to the computer console to see exactly how he could get the power back on.

He looked intently at the screen, allowing it to take his entire concentration. The analytical half of his mind took over and was easily able to put together what had happened. Apparently, there had been a manual override purposefully causing the generator to short out. This seemed really simple. All he needed to do was reboot the system. He typed a few things and watched as the screen flicked off and came back on with the message: _REBOOTING SYSTEM… PLEASE WAIT_

Bakura tapped the screen, wishing it would hurry up. Finally it began counting up.

_LOADING SYSTEM… 0%_

It began counting up from there.

_LOADING SYSTEM… 13%_

Bakura didn't even wait for 100%. He had to find Serenity. And fast… He picked up the flashlight and cast one more glance in the fallen lodgekeeper's direction. "I'm sorry. I _will_ find out what happened and avenge you." And with that, Bakura was gone… back into the storm.

####

Serenity groped with one of her hands through the man's coat pocket as he held her. He couldn't stop her from searching or he'd have to let go. She gasped for breath, but it wasn't in vain. Her hand found something… a knife of some sort… in his pocket. She pulled it out and blindly slashed out at him.

It marvelously connected with his shoulder.

He released her, but struck out at her with his fist, but she reflexively ducked and darted through an open door. She suddenly felt the walls close in about her, and with some horror, she realized that she had scurried into the walk-in freezer. And now she had nowhere to run.

The raider growled in an evil laugh. "So I've cornered the cat?" He strode calmly into the walk-in freezer, ignoring the fact that she'd already given him a broken nose and bleeding shoulder. To him, that didn't matter, and now, she was completely at his mercy.

Or at least, that's what he thought.

"Leave me alone," Serenity whispered adamantly.

He threw back his greasy head and laughed arrogantly. "That's all you can say, little girl? To leave you alone?"

Suddenly, the petite girl had an idea. She carefully took a can of frozen green beans from the shelf and turned to face him.

"What, sweetheart? Are you going to kill me with a can of vegetables?" He mocked, taking another step towards her. This was going to be so easy…

She was trembling, but her resolve was set. Serenity took aim and threw the can. However, she wasn't aiming for him. Instead she rolled it to his feet. As he watched it, confused, she made a break for it. Thankfully, her little ploy had worked, and it appeared that the can had served well as a distraction.

"What the-"

The man looked up to find that she was gone. He whirled just in time to see the freezer door slam shut. "No!"

Outside, Serenity leaned against the door, trying to figure out how to lock it. With some horror, she found that it was an electronic lock, and without electricity, the criminal could just open the door and walk out. That is, provided, she wasn't able to hold him in.

_BANG!_

Sure enough, the man began banging all his weight against the door. Serenity could barely hold him inside even when she put all her weight she could against the door. It was almost a hopeless cause.

_'Oh fates… Bakura help me.'_

Unbeknownst to her, on a certain computer monitor the screen suddenly flashed with the message: _LOADING SYSTEM… 100%_

Suddenly, all the lights began to flicker into life. Serenity smiled lightly in relief.

_'You did it, Bakura. You really did it…'_

With a click, Serenity frantically pressed the small green button on the door handle. There was a whir, and the door was securely locked. Hopefully, this was all over now.

######

Elenion: I'll get cracking on the next chapter, but in the meantime… For anyone reading this who likes Serenity/Seto as a couple, I've just uploaded a new story if you want to check it out and tell me what you think… that would be great!


	10. Playing By Colors

**A TRAIN OF THOUGHTS**

_Elenion: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I reformatted this story- what do you think of it? _

_Zelda-Jewel- Sorry I didn't update as fast as you'd have liked. It's so nice to hear from other BakuraxSerenity fans. I've been wondering why it isn't such a well-known couple. Anyway, thanks so much!_

_Peneia Teke- You've never read any Bakura/Serenity? Hm. Seems to happen a lot... But, yeah, it was really hard to do that to Reiko. I liked that character too. Sigh. Anyway, thanks for your enthusiasm!_

_Jieli- About Yami Bakura, I kinda surprised myself on that one. I hadn't actually been planning on anything that drastic, but once I start typing, the weirdest things can happen. Pretty violent chapter, huh? I was worried that there was too much action, so thanks for the reassurance!_

_Danielle of the AnimeFreakos trio- Wow, this is really you're favorite story? That's the kind of stuff that could make me blush. And I interrupted your vacation? Sorry. And no, that doesn't sound clingy. I get that way with lots of things. Btw, your Yu-Gi-Oh fics are really cute! I don't know anything about Inuyasha or I'd read that one too. But I'll stop distracting you so that you can read the actual story._

_Lily of the Shadow- It's so nice to hear from you again. Yeah, Yami Bakura is starting to make his break as more of a villain now, isn't he? I know this chapter took me forever, but I finally did it. Sorry to keep you waiting._

_Blaze Girl- What can I say? Thank you! You've met a kindred spirit if you like Ryou/Serenity. Well, actually, you've met a bunch, because as you said, other people must like that couple if they're reading this story. Btw, thanks about the whole novel thing. Maybe I should actually consider it. It would probably be worth it. And that last comment made me blush like mad! But I was wondering- why you didn't continue "Midnight's Call"? It's so cute! Thanks again!_

_Emily Benjamin- I'm so happy you're so enthusiastic! Thanks, and I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long!_

_SilentAngel014- Good to hear from you again. Sorry you had internet problems. I've been having some computer problems of my own. The best response to your reviews would be "thank you soooo much"! And the whole evil bit with Yami Bakura came as a shock even to me. Lol. But anyways, I'll try to keep writing as fast as I can._

_Elenion: I want to apologize for the long hiatus between updates. I was at a beach house for a while, and it didn't have Internet access. Also, my laptop broke last week. As a result, most of this chapter had to be retyped._

###################################################################

**CHAPTER 10: Playing By Colors**

Bakura was completely out of breath. Soaked to the bone, the British teen was positively freezing, but he forced his feet to move through the storm.

Lights were gleaming through the lodge's windows. Hope flared inside of him. At least he had done something right. With an extra burst of speed, he barged through the front door. Throwing all caution and concern to himself to the winds, he shouted into the recently lighted hall. "SERENITY?! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Slicking back his sopping white hair, he proceeded to rush into the bedrooms, flicking on light switches. He was so intent on his search that he hardly noticed the light footsteps scampering towards him... until two slender arms flew around his neck, nearly knocking him against the wall.

He closed his eyes, relieved. "Thank the Fates..."

Serenity breathed deeply into his shoulder, feeling herself beginning to calm now. It appeared that all the danger had passed, and now Bakura was back. Joyful tears sprang to her eyes. "I'm s-so glad y-you're back," she whispered, her voice noticeably trembling.

"Me too, love," he sighed, running his long, pale fingers almost absently through her silky hair.

They just stood there for a moment, reveling in the moment of regaining each other once again. Serenity snuggled deeper into his shoulder, letting his warmth run its way through her veins, breaking apart the icy pieces of fear. It was a wonderful feeling, amazing even. The lights were back on, and Bakura was back. What more could she possibly wish for?

Everything was much less ominous without the dancing shadows in the dark. Fluorescent lighting removed all traces of the ever-present fear that, at one time, had been so overwhelming. Bakura let his mind float in the spring-like scent that Serenity always had. For those few minutes, at least, he had completely forgotten that only minutes before he'd had one of the rudest awakenings of his life. Yes, for that moment, everything was just the way it should be.

But there was still a problem to be addressed.

"Serenity," Bakura said soothingly, pulling her away from him so as he could easily see her face, "Did he hurt you?"

There was an obvious hesitation as the petite girl thought over exactly what she should tell him. "I..." She could practically feel that heartless man grasping her so tightly that she had to gasp for air. But it wasn't anything she couldn't live with. "... nothing too bad."

Bakura narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brow in both worry and thought. "That means he did?"

Suddenly a mischievous grin crept into Serenity's face. "Well, he suffered worse..."

The white-haired teen raised an eyebrow curiously. He would give a lot just to know what had happened. Somehow, it didn't seem as if she was going to tell him what had occurred. _'Oh gods, Serenity, if anything ever happened to you...' _He closed his eyes, thinking deeply for a few moments. Apparently, nothing too serious had happened to her, or he was sure that she'd tell him. Something, then, occurred to him. "Where is he now?"

Serenity looked him squarely in his deep eyes, feeling almost lost in their depths. "He's in... the walk-in freezer."

Deep brown orbs stared in disbelief into honey-colored orbs.

"How-" Bakura began, but stopped. The questions should be saved for later. More pressing matters should be dealt with immediately. "Are you sure he's still there?"

Serenity bit her lip. Of course, the door had locked, but she couldn't _sure. _Not 100% sure anyway. But what was the possibility of him getting free, right? Perhaps... But it would be better to tell the truth. "No. I'm not sure at all." She closed her eyes heavily and gazed tiredly at the floor. Now that all her adrenaline was leaving her, she had nothing left but exhaustion.

There was silence for a moment. Both of their minds were wondering what it was they were supposed to do right then.

Serenity lifted her head again to allow her innocent eyes to beam directly into Bakura's. "Where's Reiko?"

Bakura's hold on her weakened, and he took a few stumbling steps back. Serenity watched with alarm as his pure, calm eyes widened in shock and some other emotion that she couldn't pinpoint- fear, maybe?

"Bakura?" She asked worriedly, touching his arm ever-so gently with the tips of her fingers. "Bakura- what's wrong?"

He wasn't looking at her. He didn't seem to be hearing her at all. Instead, his eyes were fixed on a point somewhere on the floor in front of him, as if he was seeing something there that she wasn't. Inside his head, all the images were pouring down over him. Again.

Serenity felt confused tears brim in her sweet eyes, watching something awful happen to the teenager before her. The worst part was, no matter what she said, he didn't seem to hear her.

"Bakura! What happened?" Her voice choked up for a moment before she was able to regain her composure. "Bakura- _please_!"

There didn't seem to be any way she could help him, and that was what scared her the most.

Serenity felt helpless. Since her childhood, this had been the one emotion that she had feared the most.

Slowly, Bakura raised his hands in front of his face. Again, it seemed that he saw something there- something horrible beyond description- that she could not see. His sincere eyes were a virtual mask of confusion and horror. Serenity didn't like this change. Bakura had never before acted so petrified.

He uttered one word, then. "Yami..."

In that one word, he seemed to exude all emotions that Serenity had never guessed he contained: fear, hatred, bitterness, desperation, confusion... And yet, it was a word that she did not understand. By that, she felt even more helpless. Tears spilled unbidden down her cheeks.

Without even comprehending what she was doing, Serenity took hold of either side of his face and stared directly into his dark chocolate eyes. "Bakura! Please listen to me! Just tell me what happened!"

His eyes weren't really meeting hers. It scared her more than any darkness had ever scared her before. Desperately, through her tears, she whispered, "You're not alone..."

Bakura felt- more than saw- the images fade. Something else was drawing him out of his nightmare. His eyes dimly began to see, and the darkness of the Control Room receded as the fluorescent lights of the hallway crept in. A melodic voice whispered something, that seemed to be for him only: _You're not alone._ He felt a certain warmth break his nightmare.

He blinked once, letting his vision completely readjust. The realization that he was staring fully into Serenity's tearstained face hit home. Her eyes were tightly closed, as if she was lost somewhere without a guiding light. He could feel her soft hands holding either side of his face. Surprised, he touched one of her fragile hands with his own. It was so amazing that through his hell, there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

"Serenity..."

Her eyes fluttered open suddenly, and her lips parted slightly in anxiety of what was to come. She was silent- afraid to say anything that might trigger such a reaction again.

Bakura shook his head lightly to clear it, silver hair fluttering around his face. "I... I'm sorry, love. I don't know what came over me."

Serenity blinked, searching his eyes diligently with her own. She wanted to ask what was wrong so terribly... But she didn't want him to slip into... that again. It was almost as if he had been hallucinating. Maybe he had.

"I don't think it will happen again," he said firmly, taking both her hands off his face and holding them in front of him tenderly. If he was correct, that was what she was worried about.

"Bakura- who is 'Yami'?" Serenity asked quietly.

Suddenly, Bakura's eyes darkened again, and for a moment, Serenity feared that she had lost him to the darkness again. But it dissipated, and the warmth greeted her again. He smiled weakly as he looked at her. "Someone I hope that you will never meet."

###################################################################

Mai stared across the kitchen table at a very silent Joey. Before the... accident... he was always the life of the party- the impulsive guy who refused to back down from any challenge. Now, he had receded into himself. He had begun to blame himself for what had happened, and Mai had a notion that it was mostly that bitchy reporter's fault.

There was a slight buzz in the air. It was making the violet-eyed beauty uncomfortable.

Joey silently picked at the chipped wood the table. He made no effort at conversation. It was unnerving.

Two minutes passed in exactly that way...

Finally, Mai couldn't take it anymore. "Joey-"

_Ding-dong!_

Both of them froze. The only thoughts running through their heads were that it was another reporter coming to collect an "exclusive" interview with brother and friend of two of the unfound train wreck victims. Joey couldn't take too much more of this.

Joey gazed at the door as if willing it to open itself. He had no heart to face another barrage of manipulative questions. All his wounds were still raw, and he didn't need reporters rubbing salt into them. And yet, what if- by some small, infinitesimal chance it was Serenity at the door? As much as his friends thought he was losing it, the more Joey thought about it, the more he was convinced that it had been his little sister's voice on the answering machine.

_Ding-dong!_

Mai raised an eyebrow irritably. _'Whoever's there must be one impatient bastard.'_

Sluggishly, Joey slid out of his chair with a rustle and crossed the apartment to the door. He considered looking through the peephole, but he found that he no longer cared who it was. Little things like that didn't really make a difference to him anymore. He fumbled with the deadbolt lock and finally was able to open it.

He saw, out of the corner of his eye, that Mai had gotten up and was standing beside him. Her face was set, and it appeared that she was quite ready to give the interrupter a damned-good piece of her mind. Not long ago, that knowledge would have made him grin like a fool, but now, his face was frozen in a stony mask.

Joey swung the door open.

There stood a very- for lack of a better word- obese man with a scruffy mustache that hid most of his upper lip. He looked like he'd never exercised one day in his life, and his eyes gazed with both impatience at the two of them from under a buzz-cut.

"You Joseph Wheeler?" he asked in a quick, yet booming voice to the blonde teenager holding open the door.

"Yeah," Joey replied in a dead voice, "Why?"

He took a quick breath. "I have a package for y-"

Mai's violet eyes flashed angrily. She raised a manicured hand to silence the practically bald man. "Wait one minute. Just _who_ are _you_? And what gives _you_ the right to just barge into people's homes?"

The man snorted with his apparently characteristic impatience. "I am an employee of the Domino Train Station, young lady. And I have a few things that the young man here- not you- probably wants."

The blonde woman crossed her arms angrily, but she was able to bite her tongue this time.

Joey watched this argument with mixed emotions. He wanted to help Mai, but he just didn't feel up to it anymore. And what exactly was this train station guy going to give him? If there was one thing that Joey still had after his life turned upside-down, it was curiosity. "What did you want to give me?"

With one more intense glare at the woman next to him, the enormous man turned his gaze to Joey. He then began speaking in a tone that suggested he was reciting something given to him on a piece of paper: "On behalf of the Domino Train Station, I am returning to you some items of your loved one. I hope that it will be some comfort to you and your family." With that said, he handed Joey a fair-sized cardboard box that had been previously at his feet. Abruptly, he turned and stalked away towards the elevator. He was the most hasty man either of them had ever met. You'd think he was permanently late for every appointment.

Joey stood shocked for a moment, staring at the box in his arms.

"Joey?" Mai asked soothingly, "Aren't you going to open it?"

That was a more difficult question than Mai had probably thought. Yes, of course, he wanted to see Serenity's things... but if he did, would that really mean that this was it? This was all that was left of her now? Her things?

"Joey?"

The blonde boy turned to see a pair of very concerned violet eyes staring into his. "Yeah. I'll open it."

###################################################################

Serenity looked at Bakura quizzically. She wondered what he meant by _someone I hope you will never meet_, but she didn't think it was safe to bring it up again. That or Reiko. The petite girl couldn't help but come to the conclusion that something awful had happened, but Bakura obviously wasn't ready to talk about it.

It was just like after her father went on one of his tirades. Every time, she was horrified that she couldn't talk about it for days.

Yes, she understood. And if he didn't want to talk about it, then she wouldn't make him.

Bakura closed his eyes, fending off the visions that plagued and haunted his mind. Things like this had happened before, but nothing so serious as what had happened to Reiko... The British boy shuddered. His yami. There was no other explanation that he could think of, and he'd tried analyzing the situation from every conceivable angle.

"Um... Bakura?"

His deep chocolate eyes opened and looked kindly at the auburn-haired girl holding his hands. "Yes?"

Serenity bit her lip anxiously. "That man... he's the..." Her voice trailed off.

"He's the what?" Bakura asked, furrowing his pale brow.

Serenity hesitated, wondering how she should say this. "He's the man from the... tunnel."

Bakura's eyes widened and then narrowed. _'But... Collins? Didn't they both kill one another?' _Apparently not... This was bad. But somehow, through his exhaustion and desperation, he felt white-hot anger spread into him. That demonic protectiveness was back, and somehow, he knew, that nothing would come near Serenity. Not while he was still alive.

"Maybe we should make sure he's still where he was?" Serenity provided helpfully. And then, perhaps, they could leave... She had come to hate this place. All she wanted now was to move on, storm or no storm.

There was the distant drum of thunder, farther away now.

Bakura nodded. "Yes. We should." Then he thought for a moment. "Let me get my pack first."

Still holding one of her hands gently, they moved into the room that Bakura had previously been reading in. The deck of cards was still scattered all over the floor. It didn't really matter to him. There was a sense of urgency, and he didn't feel as if there was enough time to stop and repack them. So he grabbed his bag and left the cards as a memorial of sorts.

They wound through the newly lit hallway. As much as it didn't appear quite as threatening as it had in the dark, there was still something inexplicably tense in the atmosphere. It set both of them on edge. Every movement of the wind outside made them freeze and turn abruptly, thinking that maybe someone was watching them.

Silently, the couple made their way towards the kitchen. Serenity cautiously opened the door and peeked her head in to make sure no one was there. She was surprised to see that the light had been turned off.

_'Funny... I don't remember doing that...'_

Bakura motioned to her that he would go in first. So she agreed and followed behind him, holding his hand.

Carefully, the British boy felt along the wall for a light switch. There must be one. Something wasn't right. He could feel it, and it did appear that his instincts were typically correct. Although Serenity hadn't actually told him if the light had been on, he assumed that she would have. So then, why was it off now?

His hand came across a small plastic object. _'There you are...' _He flicked it upwards.

The kitchen lights came on.

Both of them froze in shock.

The walk-in freezer door... it was...

"It's open," Serenity whispered in shock.

Despite it all, Bakura wasn't surprised. He figured that there was probably some mechanism on the inside of the freezer door to prevent someone from being locked inside. And now that man was gone... "Dash it all!" he swore under his breath.

Someone chuckled darkly behind them.

Serenity and Bakura instantly turned about to see a wiry man with greasy black hair... and icy green eyes. He was leaning casually against the kitchen door, watching their every move. Most likely, he had been there since they had first come in. With chagrin, Serenity realized that he had been hiding behind the door. He had stolen the same trick she had used on him...

"You!" Bakura hissed, feeling anger bubble up inside of him.

"Oh, so you recognize me, kid. I'm amused." The icy eyes narrowed down to slits, and a grin crept over his features.

Serenity squeezed Bakura's hand tightly. Contrary to what she had hoped, this was all far from over.

"What do you want?" Bakura asked, amazingly keeping his composure in a seemingly helpless circumstance.

The grin widened sadistically. "I have a proposition for you, boy. Right now, I have two marbles behind my back-one in either hand. One is black and the other is white." His green eyes flashed wickedly despite the fiery pain in his shoulder. At that point, it didn't matter. The little cat would pay... eventually...

"And?" Bakura asked with a steely voice.

"And- so if you pick the hand with the white marble: I'll let you and your cat go free." He raised an eyebrow as he saw the pretty little girl tense at being called a cat. _'Strange...' _"But," he continued silkily, "If you pick the black one, we're both in it to the death."

Bakura's eyes glowed with godlike fury. It was the same feeling as the last time he'd fought this man. However, this time, the man had nothing to lose but his life... and this green-eyed man was armed.

"Bakura, I don't like this," Serenity stated in a whisper. Her honey eyes found Bakura's. This just wasn't fair.

The white-haired teenager nodded in agreement. He didn't like it either. Hated it, in fact. He was being toyed with- he knew it. There were probably two black marbles in his hands, but there was no way to prove that. And besides- if the man let them go- who was to say he wouldn't come after them again?

This would have to end one way or another...

"Pick a hand, and pick your color," the green-eyed man said, loving the emotions playing over the boy's face.

Finally, Bakura spoke. He didn't seem to have any other choice. "Right hand."

Serenity held her breath. Hoping...

The man, still grinning that sickening grin, brought out his right hand from behind his back and opened it...

A black marble.

###################################################################

_Elenion: I guess I kinda left it at an evil spot. Sorry. But the next update won't take so long, so don't worry!_


	11. Winning a Losing Battle

**A TRAIN OF THOUGHTS**

_Elenion: Well, you know by now that I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Ugh, this took me sooo long. I'm so sorry!_

_This story won't last too much longer. But it's summer now, which means more story ideas should be rolling along… _

_I don't have time to write individual responses, but a big thanks to: Peneia Teke, Imperfect Paradise, Wolfyu, Crimson-Eyed-Angel99, Sleek Wolf, Lily of the Shadow, Jieli, WildBlackWolf and Viva, Lover of Seto Kaiba, SilentAngel014, Purple-Dragan-Lockheed, Bishoplover, Cleoraia, Blaze Girl, ChildlikeEmpress, LoneGothic, Cloudsluver, GoldenStar, Aiedail, ryouholic, samuraiduck27, RiterAnonymous, Flowerperson, MihoMaiden, Pirate Monkey (I agree with you, by the way, after re-reading this thing), Arwen Dark Sorceress of Fate, and Maki-sama. _

_Oh, and Lover of Seto Kaiba? I really would like that cookie… lol._

* * *

**CHAPTER 11: Winning a Losing Battle**

Serenity choked back a sob, putting her free hand over her mouth in horror. _'Why is this happening? What did we ever do to anyone? Why did it have to be a black marble?'_

The man grinned evilly at the expression lighting the auburn-haired girl's face. "Fairytale's over, princess."

"Don't bring her into this," Bakura said, stiffly. He didn't want to fight. It wasn't in his nature. But the last thing that he was going to tolerate was this man toying with her.

Green eyes flashed angrily in the dark, perfectly disguising the fear that was coming back to him almost as if it was out of distant memory. It was the fear he'd felt the last time he'd seen this boy… coming back to haunt him… making him feel ashamed. He'd sworn he'd win his pride back, but at that moment, he almost blanched.

As if to vent his untold emotions, the greasy man flicked the black marble in the couple's direction. The ebony glass of it sparkled lightly in the fluorescent bulbs overhead as it made an almost elegant curve, landing at the white-haired boy's feet.

"I'll wait for you in the basement," the man said with a growl, turning his back to the two teenagers. The kitchen door swung closed after him, causing him to disappear from sight.

There was a biting silence in the room for a moment.

Finally… "B-bakura?"

His eyes turned from the door to the girl next to him. He couldn't possibly have known it, but his stare was causing her heart to melt right then and there.

"P-please don't g-go. You d-don't have t-to…" Serenity's voice trailed off. She was desperate. She didn't want to lose him. Anything but him…

Bakura sighed deeply. "I need to, love. This needs to end." He closed his eyes in sadness. "However…"

Serenity's eyes lit up in hope. A hope that was soon crushed.

"…I think you should stay here. If I'm not back soon, then run for it."

Serenity's eyes watered. "B-but…"

He gave her a look that was so full of resolve that she knew it was futile to argue. Besides, she figured that she'd probably only be a liability. But even so… her heart was screaming to stay with him no matter what.

Forever. That was how long she wanted to stay with him.

It had taken her this long to realize it. No matter how stubbornly she fought it- the L-word always came into play. It frightened her, but since when was anything easy?

Bakura squeezed her hand gently before releasing it and starting forward. He didn't want to look at her- to see those heartbreaking tears staining her little face. It was incredible that her childhood had been so difficult, and yet she was so… kind-hearted.

His hand was already on the doorknob when…

"Wait!" Serenity cried, throwing herself into his arms once more. Her breath was hot and uneven on his neck as she tried in vain to hold back her tears. Small hands reached around his neck, tangling slender fingers in his soft snowy hair. "P-please c-come b-back, Bakura."

He stared in front of him in starry disbelief, chin resting on her soft cinnamon hair. "I'll try my best."

"W-what w-would I d-do without y-you?" Serenity whispered nuzzling deeper into his neck.

Bakura felt heat rise into his face. It was something he'd often thought about her as well. Could it be that she- no… she couldn't really love- no. He shook his head, trying to clear it of ridiculous thoughts. But then, there had been that kiss… Bakura's face heated to a full-scale blush just thinking about it.

"Take care of yourself, love," he said tenderly, running his pale fingers through that breathtaking hair of hers. "Serenity, I…"

Her eyes turned up to melt into his.

"…I…"

Her honey eyes were drowning him in those depths.

"… I hope I'll see you soon," he finished lamely, before uncurling his arms from around her petite frame. Without another look back, he pulled the door open and walked through.

* * *

Joey slowly unfolded the cardboard, showing him a montage of colors on the inside. His hands trembled slightly as he lifted a duffel bag from the box. It was hers… But of course it was… what had he been expecting?

It was torn now in various spots. It almost looked like teeth had ripped jaggedly through the fabric… probably glass. On the right side, there was a large ebony mark spreading over the duffel bag like a deadly bout of plague. Joey swallowed. It was a burn mark.

Mai patted his arm. _'Maybe this was what he needed to let her go…'_

Her eyes suddenly snagged on something. "Joey, what's"

His blurry hazel eyes found what she was looking at. His shaking hands picked the crunched and wrinkled paper from the bottom of the box. He choked on his own breath.

"Oh gods…"

It was a photo of Serenity… probably the last one taken of her before she… was gone. She was sitting childishly on a swing in the park. The many folds over the surface made it difficult to entirely see the details- but her smile was still the same. Bright and carefree as always.

"Mai, I… I loved her. She was ma kid sista…."

Her hand gently squeezed his arm. If there was any time he needed a helping hand, it was now.

Joey blindly flipped the crumpled paper over. His eyes widened. She had written something there… to him…

_Hi big brother!_

_Uncle Takashi took this photo, and he said he thought you'd like it. He's so nice, isn't he? Well, I'm on the train coming home. I can't wait to see you again! I promise we'll do all sorts of fun stuff together once I get back! And then_

That was where it ended. She had obviously been interrupted in the middle of writing this.

Burning tears burst from their dams and trailed down his cheeks. Unashamed, he used the back of his sleeve to wipe them calmly away.

_I promise we'll do all sorts of fun stuff together once I get back!_

His heart was tearing in two.

'_Ren, ya promised…'_

* * *

Serenity leaned, physically and emotionally drained, against the rough lodge wall with her head cradled in her hands.

_He's dangerous, Ren._

Her eyelids slammed shut, creasing in concentration.

_Be careful around him._

Joey had warned her about Bakura, but for the life of her, she could not remember why. After his strange mental shutdown, Serenity found her brother's words nagging profusely at her mind like a bad head cold.

_Bakura isn't like anyone else. He's dangerous, Ren._

Frustrated, the young girl grit her teeth. At that time, it seemed that if she could just remember what her brother had said to her, everything else would just fall into place. Particularly that word… Yami… it had something to do with that. Yugi had used that phrase before as well.

_It isn't really his fault, but Bakura's got dis Millennium item…_

Serenity's fingers wound into her hair and clenched in exasperation. She could remember very little of that long-ago conversation other than bits and pieces.

… _da Millennium Ring. And that thing is bad news, sis…_

But what did that have to do with anything? Suddenly, the mental blocks crumbled. Serenity could practically see her brother sitting on the couch next to her, telling her all of this.

"_Why?" Serenity could hear herself say._

_Her brother sighed, wearily picking at the fraying edge of a cushion. "Well, it has ta do wit his Yami."_

"_Yami?"_

"_It's kinda hard ta explain. Well, basically it's this spirit that lives inside the Millennium Ring…"_

"_You expect me to believe that, Joey?"_

"_I'm just tryin' ta tell ya! Geez!" Her brother got off the couch, irritated and walked away._

Serenity opened her eyes. That still didn't solve everything. There had to be something else. So maybe there was a spirit in this Millennium Ring… so what? The young girl sighed heavily, wracking her brains. An overheard conversation between Yugi and Tea from months ago came to mind. She was about to dismiss it as irrelevant but then stopped and reconsidered.

_"Yugi?"_

"_Yes, Tea?"_

"_What exactly is…" Her voice trailed off uncertainly._

"_What exactly is what?"_

"_Well, I was wondering… what exactly is Yami?"_

_Pause._

"_I don't really know myself. He's like the other half of me now."_

"_He came from the Millennium Puzzle, right?"_

"_Right. And before I realized what he was, he took over a few times…"_

"_Took over you?"_

"_Right. He's a spirit, I know that. And he doesn't seem to want to hurt any of us. In fact, I think he may like us. Especially…"_

"_Especially who?"_

"_Never mind."_

"_Yugi… what about Bakura?"_

"_You mean the Millennium Ring?"_

"_Yes."_

_Pause._

"_Tea, I believe that Bakura has a much worse problem than I do."_

"_How so?"_

"_In Bakura's case, I believe it is a very hostile spirit that he hosts."_

"_But if that spirit came from a Millennium item too, then you mean that Bakura's spirit can take over his body as well?"_

"_Exactly. Which is why there is a great problem where Bakura is concerned."_

Serenity swallowed and took a deep breath. So it all made sense… which meant that the night by the river, it really _hadn't_ been Bakura. She truly had seen someone else- a certain very dangerous someone else. And it also explained why he wouldn't want to tell her about it, why he didn't want her to meet him. She clearly remembered the strange stories now- the stories of strange possessions and Shadow Duels from Battle City.

It made her shudder. Violently.

And now this spirit- this yami- might take over at any moment.

Suddenly, it didn't matter that Bakura had told her to stay put. If he needed help, Serenity was determined to help and she was damned if she was going to let him face everything alone. Like he had said, he wasn't inhuman. Everyone needed help more often than not. Bakura was no exception.

* * *

At least it wasn't raining. But other than that, the cold of the night was miserable. Bakura felt a shiver work its way up his spine.

He slipped quietly into the basement door and wondered absently if Serenity was all right. The dark claimed him, and the albino boy grasped desperately onto the rickety railing as he made his way cautiously down a flight of warped stairs. He couldn't even see ten feet from his face.

/Hello, hikari./

Bakura grit his teeth but did not reply.

/Trying to ignore me, are you/

Again, he did not so much as flinch. He just kept descending the stairs, one foot after another.

/Oh, hikari. You amuse me./

A painful wave surged through the boy's mind, sending his nerves tingling. Bakura's grip upon the railing tightened to the point where his knuckles were white. Another surge followed, but he was able to fight it off by sheer will power. Bakura, for once, felt empowered, felt that his yami could not take control.

But then a fist materialized out of the dark, slamming him backwards into the railing.

His concentration faltered.

That was all his yami needed.

Icy green eyes laughed soundlessly at the boy. That was all he was, after all… just a boy. He had been foolish to be scared of him. So very foolish. "What are you going to do now, boy? You have no moves left."

Unknown to that man, a pair of even colder eyes rose to watch him through the dark. A chilling smirk appeared and an icy voice followed. "Oh, I have plenty of moves."

A tremor of fear spread from the green-eyed mans gut. That was not the voice that he had expected. Perhaps it was someone else? But who? That made no sense. This was most definitely the white-haired boy.

_'But that voice…'_

The boy sprung towards him, barreling into the other man and sending them both crashing down the last few steps onto cold rock floor. Fingernails dug into the green-eyed man's forearms as an ancient spirit in a teenager's body pinned him down and calmly held a pocketknife between his gleaming teeth.

* * *

Serenity burst through the lodge door, flashlight in hand, and looked hastily for the way to the basement. It was an outside door, she knew that much. The air was damp and cold, raising the small hairs on her unprotected skin.

She spotted the basement door. It hung ajar upon its hinges.

It no longer mattered that a cold-blooded murderer lurked down there. If Bakura needed her help, then she was going to go, regardless of her brother's warnings. After all, if Yugi was in this sort of situation, there was no doubt that Joey would be rushing to help him. So the girl steeled herself, clicked the flashlight on, and raced to the basement door.

She stood uncertainly at the top of the steps and waved the beam downwards. It settled upon two figures…

"Bakura!"

But he did not turn at the sound of her voice.

It took a moment for Serenity to grasp what was going on. The white-haired boy was shuddering, holding a pocketknife above the man's green eyes as if poised to gauge them out. But he was frozen there, completely immobilized. As if he was fighting some invisible person…

And then it all made sense.

Serenity raced down the stairs, grasping the railing in one hand and the flashlight in the other. Her heart leapt into her throat. Maybe she could help him. How, she had no idea, but… _Where there's a will there's a way._

She knelt beside him, feeling awkward and helpless. Bakura's face was blank, his eyes introspective while the icy-eyed man stared at the blade with open horror. Serenity swallowed, unsure as to what to do. Now that the moment was actually at hand, she wasn't quite sure how she could help Bakura fight a battle within himself.

But she wouldn't lose heart. She couldn't.

"Bakura?" she whispered fervently, hoping maybe that would be enough.

He didn't move.

Her fingers curled firmly around his wrist.

Still, there was no reaction.

Serenity inhaled deeply and taking a leaf out of Joey's book, slowly pried the pocketknife from his hand.

Bakura didn't so much as flinch.

The icy-eyed man's eyes were on Serenity now, but she noticed, with further inspection, that his eyes were dazed. It was probably the result of having the back of his head slammed onto a stone basement floor. He didn't seem to present much of a threat at the moment.

But there was still Bakura.

Serenity clicked the blade back into its place and slid it into her back pocket. She slowly touched the boy's pale forearm, but when there was no reaction, she dropped the flashlight and slid her other arm around his neck and drew him close to herself.

Carefully, the young girl cast a glance at the murderer on the floor. His eyes had rolled back into his head, and Serenity had the cold suspicion that he may not ever wake up. But that wasn't the important thing. She hugged Bakura as closely as she could, wishing she could see into his mind. Tearfully, she began whispering things to him, just like a mother would do to a child after a nightmare. If she was lucky, he would hear her.

Bakura had been fighting with his avatar fiercely. This would be it. If he could win now, then he knew that he'd have the upperhand for the rest of his life. It was like an unspoken agreement- a last battle of wills. But if he lost… then that man would die painfully along with the trusting girl twenty feet above his head.

Their emotions were locked- two opposing beams of light at war with one another. The light mingled with the dark, and the two spirits pushed and pulled, fighting for control. Both spirits were running low on energy. It took all the emotional fuel they had to keep going, but neither was willing to give up. Sheer hatred and spite for one another was a key factor, but the hikari had other reasons- to stop the damage about to be done, to avenge Reiko and anyone else to ever be hurt by his dark side, and to gain back the will to live.

There was more at stake than anyone else could have imagined. It wasn't born out of desperation. Rather, it was born out of a culmination of everything that had ever happened to either soul. And both souls wanted possession of the same body. For good.

Both pushed harder, their lights slamming into one another faster and faster. Spirals of pain spiked through them like burning liquid. But neither desisted. Neither would falter, but they couldn't keep it up much longer.

It finally reached a climax. Their hearts strained against each other's onslaught, each other's will power. It was a fury of pain and confusion- of beams of light and dark.

They strained against one another in their one final effort…

Bakura collapsed in Serenity's arms.

She caught the weight of him despite the obvious difference in size. His white hair fell over his face, and it seemed for a moment that his breathing stopped. In that moment, Serenity panicked. What if he never woke up again?

Then, painfully, his head raised itself.

Serenity swallowed. '_What if…?'_

Her questioned trailed off as she met Bakura's eyes. Bakura's sparkling, kind eyes… He was exhausted, barely able to hold up his head.

Hikari Bakura smiled weakly and took a gasp of air, before staring Serenity straight in the eyes and saying, "I did it."

Then he collapsed once more.

* * *

The British boy re-awoke to find himself tucked into a soft bed. His mind ached, and it suddenly came back to him… He'd fought his yami… and he'd won.

A smile worked onto his face.

"Bakura?"

His eyes twinkled as they fell onto the small girl standing at his bedside. "Serenity."

"I wanted to tell you, Bakura, that you don't have to fight him alone."

He was puzzled for a moment. "Fight who?"

"Your yami."

That threw him for a moment. "How did you-"

"I pieced it together. It doesn't really matter." She smiled winningly at him.

_No._ Bakura thought. _At this time, it doesn't matter._

"I won," he whispered. "I don't have to worry about him anymore."

Serenity looked confused for a moment before covering it up. She supposed she wouldn't understand even if she asked. "Is he gone?"

Bakura sighed. "No. I don't believe he'll ever truly be gone. But he can't win anymore."

"I'm glad," Serenity replied awkwardly. And she was despite the fact that she felt very in the dark. "Bakura…"

He raised his eyes to look at her.

"…I can't possibly imagine what you've been through. But since that other man is- well- gone…"

"Gone?" Bakura asked as images of a green-eyed murderer rushed back to him.

"He, erm, he died from shock, I think. I just left him in the basement. But that's not what I meant to say…" Serenity took a breath. "I wanted to say that I think you should tell me about your yami, even if you say he 'can't win anymore'."

The white-haired teenager clenched and unclenched his fist. "Serenity, I don't want to burden you…"

"You're not burdening me. I asked."

"You don't understand, love," Bakura said, hating himself, "that you could find someone so much better than me. Someone with less emotional baggage.

Serenity sat down on the edge of his bed, looking angry. "Bakura, I had an abusive father. Now, if you're willing to cope with that kind of emotional baggage, then how could I not be able to cope with yours?"

He stared straight into her sweetly colored eyes for a moment. There really was no answer. Finally, he sighed. "Serenity, I… It will be hard."

"I know," she replied strongly, grasping his hand in hers.

"I don't want to hurt you."

She shook her head. "Bakura, if it wasn't for you, I would never have made it this far."

He slowly sat up, leaning against the headboard. "I'm talking about after all this, love. I… I just want you to be happy."

Serenity slowly squeezed his hand. "How could I be happy without you?"

They stared at one another for a long moment as feelings unspoken finally surfaced in their eyes. And they found that they completely understood one another, even without words. Tears welled in Serenity's eyes, but she looked away in time.

"All right," Bakura said softly, pretending that he could not see her tears. "I'll tell you about my yami. But we'd better get going if we want to make it home soon, love."

'_Home…'_ Serenity thought, her tears spilling despite her attempts to quell them. '_I really would like to be home…' _She looked up at Bakura and suddenly started to laugh uncontrollably.

He raised a silver eyebrow and cocked his head to one side. "What's so funny?"

The redhead slowly wiped her tears- tears of mirth- from her smiling eyes. She gestured at him and then back at herself widely with an infectious smile plastered upon her face. "What is Joey going to say about this?"

Bakura shook his head, chuckling. "He's not going to _say_ anything."

Serenity looked at him, still giggling, but now somewhat confused.

"He'll merely knock the living daylights out of me…"

* * *

_Elenion: Well, it was a bit mushy there toward the end..._

_Stay tuned for Joey's reaction that his dead sister is alive!_


	12. Leave My Fears Behind

**A TRAIN OF THOUGHTS**

_Elenion: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I'm so glad you guys liked that last chapter. I love you all –hugs-. Lol, it seems that many people liked the last line of Chapter 11… This is the last chapter, guys. I know it took forever, but I at least finished it, right? Hold onto your seats and enjoy the ride!_

**CHAPTER 12: Leave My Fears Behind**

"Hurry! Hurry!"

The couple was panting heavily, sprinting up the steps as fast they could possibly force their legs to move. The lean male moved faster, tugging along a smaller female by the hand. Distantly, they could hear the telltale whistles of a train ready to depart.

"What if… what if we don't make it?" The female gasped, brushing a sweaty lock of auburn away from her face. "We don't know when the next one might come, and-"

A pair of deep brown eyes whipped around to sparkle at her. "We'll make it, Serenity. And if we don't, what's one more day?"

The whistle blew again as the two hopped up onto the platform and ran past the sign reading: _Sado Train Station_.

Bakura raced up to the ticket window, pushing some bills beneath the glass. "Two tickets to Domino, please," he said hurriedly, casting a glance at the train that was all too ready to leave without them like a bull steaming at the mouth and ready to charge. They were so close and yet so far. If they didn't get on that train, there might not be another until morning, particularly in this less-than-populated forest region.

The teller smiled at the urgency, and quickly pushed back two tickets and some change.

Bakura gripped the tickets in his pale hand, offered a quick "Thank you," and immediately raced towards the sleek metal doors with Serenity in tow. They were now closing, but relief lit up in his dark eyes as he finally realized that they would make it. The two teenagers slipped skillfully inside the closing doors, making the doors jerk back from the movement as they passed. As if annoyed, a mechanical voice requested for: _"All passengers, please stand clear of the closing doors. The train is now departing." _But that didn't particularly matter to either of them at the moment. They were alive. They were safe. They had reacquainted themselves with civilization. And they were on their way back home.

Silently, Bakura and Serenity slipped into two seats and sighed heavily. Neither could quite believe it- one, they were on a train again and two, they were actually going home. Home. It was so surreal, such a foreign concept. Yet they were racing towards it at over forty miles per hour.

Bakura shut his eyes, contemplating. Serenity had wanted to wait in the lodge a few days so that he could get well. He had adamantly refused, and at the moment, he felt exhausted. Without a thought, he had paid his respects to Reiko and afterwards, had burned the lodge to the ground. The teenager massaged his temples and cast a glance at Serenity. She was staring out the window, watching the sakura trees race by with a small smile on her face.

A wave of exhaustion hit him, and Bakura felt his eyelids grow heavier. It had been a long hike through the forest. His mud-covered pants could attest to that. Then they'd found the railroad tracks, which inevitably led them to the train station. There had been no time for stopping and thinking. Now, looking at the girl, he felt an entirely new sensation sweep over him…

Peace.

It had been so long since he'd been at peace with the world and –more importantly- himself. He'd always managed to find a reason why he was inadequate, why he should hate himself. In retrospect, his own self-loathing had kept him from ever growing. It had kept him from fighting the evil spirit of the Millennium Ring. It had kept him from his life and had stolen his will to live. But it had come back with a vengeance.

Bakura watched a ray of sun play lazily over Serenity's hair.

Sometimes, all a person needed was a little push from someone else.

A long yawn broke across his face, and Serenity looked over at him and laughed. "I told you we should have stayed a bit longer. But no- you were just too eager to burn the place down."

Bakura winced. "You're making me sound like a pyromaniac."

The girl shook her head slowly. "We have a few hours, so why don't you try and get some sleep?"

"But-"

"I'll wake you up when we get there."

He couldn't argue with that. Instead, he smiled lazily, before drifting off.

* * *

The first sounds of the city were the strangest. All the talking, the laughing, the running footsteps of small children in the park. Domino never looked so inviting as it did that day. The clear blue sky without a hint of rain grinned lazily on their tired heads.

"Did Joey ever get your message?" Bakura asked gently.

"I don't know."

There was a small silence for a moment.

"Should we go surprise him?"

Serenity's head whipped around. "What?"

"You know, surprise him."

She pondered a moment, with a big smile on her face, but then shook her head. She pointed at a red phone booth at the street corner. "I think that would be too cruel. Let me call him first."

* * *

_Ring!_

Joey slammed the pillow over his head so he couldn't hear the phone.

_Ring!_

He growled at the persistence.

_Ring!_

Mai sighed and reached over numbly for the receiver grumbling about laziness.

"Hello?"

_"Mai?"_

The sleek blonde woman lost her composure as her behind jumped off the coach with unexpected speed and catapulted her onto the floor. "Ow!"

_"Mai? Hello?"_

"Is this a joke?"

"_I don't know what you mean."_

"I meant it. This isn't some sick joke, is it?"

_"Can I talk to Joey?"_

Mai stared at the receiver in total, utter shock. "Joey?" she called in a meager voice, "there's someone on the phone for you."

"Don't wannit…" came the muffled reply from the beneath the pillow.

Rather unceremoniously, Mai shoved the phone under the pillow where it thunked satisfactorily against Joey's skull. It wasn't unintentional. Joey growled, ready to rip the pillow off his head and give Mai a piece of his mind, but then he heard the voice on the other line…

_"Joey?"_

The blood drained from his face. "No way," was all he managed to croak out.

_"What?"_

"Ren?"

"_Yes."_

"Am I dead?"

_"Huh?"_

"Did I die and are you here to meet me in da afterlife?"

"_Ummm… no."_

Joey shot out from under the pillow, feeling his throat constrict in a rather unmanly reflex to burst into tears. "Where are you?"

"_The payphone outside your apartment."_

He couldn't remember ever moving so fast as he did in that moment. The blinds practically opened of their own accord. And there she was, smiling and waving from the grungy old phone booth… and crying with the cracked receiver to her ear, looking up into his window. And there was Bakura, his hand resting softly on her waist.

That made Joey pause. "A little too friendly, isn't he?"

_"Joey…"_

"I'm coming down."

He flew down the stairs and past the few feet that parted them and swept her up into the biggest bear hug he could muster. She had come back from the dead. His sister had come back to him. And he cried. Oh, how he cried.

When the tears were dry on all four faces, Joey turned to Bakura. "I know about your yami, ya know…"

Bakura smiled. "You won't have to worry about that anymore. Trust me."

Joey stared for a moment. Then he shrugged. "Let's call Yugi."

The four made a perfect little line, linked by their hands as they scrambled up to the small apartment that was sure to hold comfort, joy, and tears for times to come. And even among the frenzy, Serenity turned to give Bakura a positively glowing smile. And Bakura knew it would be all right. He saw the glow of his friend's faces, felt the warmth of their hugs and their smiles, and somehow he just knew… Life was going to be all right afterall, which was more than he'd ever thought he'd achieve in the first place. And with that little thought in mind, Bakura smiled right back.

In the whirling chaos all around them, he grabbed her hand. "Love, I've got to tell you something."

Serenity's heart leapt to her throat. She could feel it pulsing there. Her hand was suddenly clammy in his.

"I wanted to thank you. For everything."

Serenity's stomach plummeted. She squeezed her eyes closed, feeling tears of frustration forming there. "Oh. Um, you're welcome…"

"And I love you."

Her eyes snapped open. "You… what?"

"Oh god, Serenity, please don't make me say it again where your brother might overhear us." Bakura looked over his shoulder at the blonde man, who was currently glaring at him.

Then she leapt at him. Her arms flung around his neck and she kissed him, grabbing the long white locks of hair at the back of his head. Bakura stumbled back but was able to hold her upright. Somehow. He felt dizzy like his hear would suddenly explode. He didn't deserve this; he really didn't. But somehow, he'd gotten it anyway.

When they finally came up for air, their eyes locked. And they smiled at one another, each only dimly aware of Joey spluttering in the background.

* * *

**Fin.**


End file.
